New Jersey...and how it got that way: December

Posted December 20, 2007 by Brett Avery

One Year Later: Barely Baby Steps Being New Jerseyans as well as journalists, we at NJM suffer the same property tax sticker shock and impatience with state and local wheel-spinning as our fellow citizens in New Jersey’s 566 municipalities and 611 school districts. So we initiated this year-long series to figure out just how our beloved Garden State got so dysfunctional at delivering basic services, while remaining all too skilled at letting officials sneak into the cookie jar. In this final installment of the series, we take up each of the eleven subject areas and ask, “Has any progress been made?” The short answer is, not much.—The Editors

January
Piling on Debt
Update: On its more than $35 billion debt, the state paid off more principal this year ($1.1 billion) than it did last year ($600 million). That’s good. The state projects that principal payments will surpass interest payments in 2011. Unfortunately, Governor Jon Corzine refused—at least until after the November election—to detail his plan for “monetizing” state assets such as the Turnpike (presumably to prevent Republicans from bashing Democrats who went out on a limb to support the idea). Corzine instructed his cabinet to cut $3 billion from the fiscal 2008 budget.

February
Property Tax Fatigue
Update: Slight progress. State property tax rebates rose to cover an average of 20 percent of a homeowner’s annual payment, depending on household income.  The legislation also called for an annual 4 percent cap on local property tax rate hikes. While homeowners welcomed each move, the rebates do not curb overspending and duplication of services at the municipal level. New Jersey’s congressional delegation again brought home one of the smallest shares of federal aid in relation to the amount taxpayers send to Washington.

March
Corrupt Officials
Update: A parade of public officials were charged with a variety of crimes. State senator and former Newark mayor Sharpe James was indicted on charges that he racked up personal expenses, including lavish travel, on city-issued credit cards. Soon-to-be-former state senator Wayne R. Bryant was accused of obtaining a no-show job at UMDNJ. A big chunk of the city council in Atlantic City was indicted for accepting bribes, and Mayor Robert Levy went AWOL for two weeks before resigning amid allegations that he was attempting to receive an unearned increase in veteran benefits. Anne Milgram, in her first months as state attorney general, brought charges against four Jersey City municipal judges for allegedly fixing parking tickets. (One judge resigned, the other three took unpaid leaves of absence).      

April
Too Many School Districts
Update: In late October, Assembly
speaker Joseph Roberts Jr., of Camden, promised that the Legislature would examine school funding formulas—if not in a lame-duck session, then when the new Legislature convenes in January. Great. Last year’s special legislative session on property taxes spent a lot of time on school district consolidation, but the Legislature spent hardly any time on it this year. Now another year has passed with no action taken.

May
Stagnating Population and the Departing Affluent
Update: As reported first here, and followed up by an October Rutgers survey, 72,547 more people left the state in 2006 than moved in. Only California, Louisiana, and New York had a larger net loss of residents last year. Since those heading for the exits have a higher average income than those coming in, the study estimated that the net outflow reduced personal income in the state by $10 billion last year and cut state tax revenue by $680 million. In a Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey Poll, 49 percent of respondents said they would like to move out of the state. Nearly 60 percent of that group cited high taxes and cost of living as their main reason for wanting to leave.

June
More Vehicles, Worse Roads
Update: The August collapse of a Minnesota bridge serving Interstate 35, killing thirteen people, grimly reminded us that we ignore aging infrastructure at our peril. New Jersey officials moved rapidly to assess the condition of the state’s 6,400 operational bridges. Their findings, released in early October, placed the cost of needed repairs and upgrades at $13.6 billion over the next decade. The Legislature made no move to increase the gasoline tax—one of the nation’s lowest—to replenish a near-depleted Transportation Trust Fund.

July
The Power Grab
Update: On the sore issue of double-dipping—holding an elected or appointed job in local or county government while also serving in the state Legislature—Trenton took the easy way out, grandfathering in those presently holding multiple nonelective public jobs—about 5,000 individuals.

Come January, the Legislature will have the most new faces since 1992, when 39 freshman lawmakers take office. At least 31 legislators are leaving, either because they decided not to run again or because they resigned under a cloud of legal problems. This presents the best opportunity in years to change the status quo. But don’t get your hopes up: Legislative campaigns this year were low-key, sidestepping controversial issues.  Chances are the Class of 2008—about a quarter of the Legislature—will join the establishment and shun serious reform while remaining beholden to interests that bankrolled their campaigns.

August
The Bloated Public Sector
Update: Same as it ever was. No action or meaningful debate on consolidating municipalities, school districts, fire departments, and other public entities. Result? At least one more year of costly duplication of services.

September
Less Open Land, More Garbage
Update: Voters were expected (at press time) to approve Public Question No. 3 in November. It would allow the state to issue $200 million in bonds for the Garden State Preservation Trust to acquire and protect undeveloped land. Good news for open-space fans; bad news for those worried about the state’s debt.

October
Our Neglected Cities
Update: The swift arrest of a half-dozen suspects in the August slaying of three Newark college students temporarily muted public outcry over rampant violence in New Jersey’s six biggest cities. In Newark, the opening of the Prudential Center arena boosted hopes for a revitalized downtown. But the largest cities remain plagued by dwindling population, underperforming schools, rising unemployment, and aging infrastructure.

November
Our Outmoded Constitution
Update: Will the new Legislature attack our outmoded system of home rule? You’ll know they’re serious if they pass a measure calling for a constitutional convention. Voters would have to approve the plan in a referendum. Any changes the convention recommends would again have to be submitted to voters for final approval. 

Hey, it could happen. Well, it might happen. Now this is your best shot at making it happen. Remember, public officials are only as good as we make them. Stay informed and vocal to affect change.

For more stories about: Camden, Newark, Corzine, Jon, Prudential Center, James, Sharpe, garbage, open space, district, population, property tax, debt, public sector, school districts