Situation: Increased traffic threatens to overload the state’s transportation network. Soaring transit costs could cripple the state’s economy.

Seen in: Towns & Schools

Situation: The state claims a laudable record on education at all levels, but its spending practices and priorities threaten to undermine that quality as the state becomes increasingly unaffordable for residents.

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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

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Situation: Unchecked development threatens to engulf the state’s remaining open space, while the continued generation of enormous amounts of garbage and toxic substances spells trouble for an already weakened environment.

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Situation: Too many public officials, elected as well as appointed, are more concerned with acquiring and protecting power than with honestly conducting the business of the people they’re supposed to serve.

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Situation:The country’s metropolitan areas are rebounding from decades of stagnation, but growth and prosperity continue to elude our state’s six big cities.

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Situation: The state’s population growth is leveling off at a time when it needs a robust, expanding economy to deal with its fiscal woes.

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SITUATION:The accumulated home-rule power of New Jersey’s 566 municipalities and 611 school districts stymies efficient government at the state level.

Seen in: Towns & Schools

Situation:Government is struggling with a mountain of debt, as pension and health care costs spiral higher due to a surfeit of public employees covered by collective bargaining.

Seen in: Towns & Schools