Friday, September 01, 2006

Wake Up New Jersey

From the Record:

Census wakeup call

NEW JERSEYANS searching for silver linings in the grim U.S. census figures released this week will have to get out their umbrellas.

While we have the highest household median income in the nation, we are rapidly losing ground -- income was down by 2.8 percent last year alone. Although we have some of the wealthiest counties in the nation, we also have places like Camden, where a staggering 44 percent of the population lives in poverty.

Clearly, much of New Jersey's economy is either stuck in neutral or headed in reverse. The question raised by the census figures is: How does our state change course?

The short answer is by growing our economy after years of stagnation. What that entails is another matter entirely. Kick-starting that debate late next week will be the release of Governor Corzine's comprehensive plan for the state economy.

New Jersey is clearly at a crossroads. Although there'll be much debate in the coming weeks on what direction to take, one thing seems sure: To continue on the current economic course can only lead to a dead end.

According to the latest census figures:

New Jersey ranks first in median household income at $61,700, but:

Our income was down by 2.8 percent last year at a time when income nationally was flat.

Our poverty rate is up by almost one percentage point since 2000, from 7.8 to 8.7 percent.

The number of New Jerseyans without health care continues to climb, from 14.6 to 15.2 percent.

16 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

let the illegals keep coming
to NJ. It's killing the state.

and you ain't seen nothing yet.

9/01/2006 07:07:00 AM  
Blogger grim said...

From the Star Ledger:

Law targeting illegals takes shape in Newton

Newton may become the first community in northern New Jersey to crack down on illegal immigration by imposing fines on landlords who rent apartments to undocumented immigrants and businesses that hire them.

The proposal, unveiled earlier this week by Councilman Philip Diglio, also would make English the official language in the Sussex County town.
...
Diglio's plan would require non-citizens to bring green cards, visas and working papers to town hall for verification before being allowed to rent or be hired for a job. Any business owner who hires an illegal immigrant would be denied businesses permits and city contracts for five years, and landlord fines would range from $1,000 for a first offense to $10,000 for three or more offenses.

9/01/2006 07:32:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

maybe corzine could bail the state
out. Seems he likes to lend money.

and of course he forgives as well.

Shameless is the word.

9/01/2006 07:34:00 AM  
Blogger grim said...

Frankly, I'm a bit more worried about the state moving pension dollars into the hands of the hedge funds right now.

"You ain't seen nothin' yet."

grim

9/01/2006 07:42:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

well the heggies are another
problem. you can bet that
the state will pay more than
the fair share in fees.

are they that stupid, ans: yes.

because they don't understand it.

9/01/2006 08:28:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Until the liberal tax and spend practices of our elected officials and this state's welfare entitlement mentality are changed don't expect New Jersey's situation to improve any time soon.

9/01/2006 08:59:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's not the illegals coming in, it's the jobs going out that are the problem.

I don't think I can adequately express my thoughts in this space, but basically, years of attracting big dollar operations (Lucent, the Pharmaceuticals) now make NJ much less attractive.

If a business doesn't need us for our geography, it can't come here.

Lindsey

9/01/2006 09:40:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Allow the Politicians, Public Employees and assorted scum keep taking there outstanding pay checks and retirement checks.

and you ain't seen nothing yet.

Large number of retirements coming

9/01/2006 11:35:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

All NJ needs to do is consolidate services, fire at least 50% of its civil servants in the process, and slash taxes so that it makes it into the Tax Foundation's top-ten in corporate and individual tax friendliness.

Don't hold yer breath.

9/01/2006 12:43:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

you got 740k alone in the
pension system sucking on the
taxpayer.

whos going to pay for this.
illegals?

NJ is over. Its a welfare state
sucked dry.

white flight, followed by major
corps. who already are leaving.

NJ will be left with the rich
and the mostly poor.

How many state employees were added
in the last 5 years?

The pols have blown the rectum
out of the state.

and you aint seen nothing yet.

9/01/2006 12:53:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"The pols have blown the rectum
out of the state.

and you aint seen nothing yet."

Now this fellow knows what he is talking about.

SAS

9/01/2006 05:54:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My brother-in-law, is an ex-cop from jersey city, never ever pulled his gun out of his holster, retired @ 51, and now 3 years later { automatic raises} gets a pension for 54,000 plus free healthcare with $1.oo copay for prescriptions.

They moved to Del. , he got a job, as a teacher, THEY LIVE LIKE KINGS , he will live to be 90, figure it out NJ, CORZINE,. He will make more retired than he ever did working.

You cannot beat the unions

9/01/2006 06:09:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My wife has two friends that were teachers, both retired @ 55 with full benes, and pensions over 50,000 ayear.

YA GOTTA FEEL SORRY FOR THOSE TEACHERS, they are so UNDERPAID.

WAKE UP NJ

9/01/2006 06:13:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Might as well go out and pick up one of those great teaching positions. Jusy look at the want ads, they're loaded with openings.

9/01/2006 08:02:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If you know somebody you probably could get one, thats how it is done in Mt. olive.

Watch em break NJ, turkey

9/01/2006 08:18:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

nj must default on everything immediately...just like the feds did in geneva in 1930...abolish the fed...bring back us notes from the tres and not the fed

9/05/2006 11:11:00 PM  

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