Incumbent Democratic Mayor Peter Cantu and Republican challenger Bill Zeltman will face off for election to a seat on Plainsboro Township Committee on Tuesday, November 8.##M:[more]##
Up for election is Cantu’s three-year seat on the township committee. Political control of the governing body, where the Democrats hold a 5-0 majority, is not at stake in this election. Plainsboro is governed under a form of government in which the township committee hold both administrative and legislative powers. Each year the committee votes at its annual reorganization meeting to elect one of the five committee members to act as mayor.
Cantu, a resident of Beechtree Lane, has been a member of the township committee since 1975, and has served as township mayor 25 times. He retired last year from Keep Middlesex Moving, a county-wide transportation management organization. Cantu is currently finishing a one-year term as the president of the New Jersey League of Municipalities.
Cantu is also the long-time chairman of the Middlesex County Agricultural Development Board, and a member of the steering committee of the Central Jersey Transportation Forum.
In the election, Cantu stressed his long-time record of success in preserving open space in Plainsboro and sound fiscal management of the community. As president of the League of Municipalities, he has lobbied state officials for changes in state law to ease taxpayers’ burden.
Zeltman, 33, of Aspen Drive, has never run for political office. Since 2004, he has worked for Healthcare Dimensions, running the national company’s Silver Sneakers, an exercise program for older adults, in the Princeton area. In addition to being an active member of the Shriners, he also serves as vice president of the Aspen Homeowners Association.
A latecomer to the election, Zeltman was chosen in September by the Plainsboro GOP to replace Stacy Zieminski, who dropped out of the race.
On the campaign trail, Zeltman has argued in favor of two-party government, stating that the Democrats have held a 5-0 majority on township committee for too long. He also believes that Cantu has been in office too long and that it’s time for a change in leadership.
