Can't wait to move out of New Jersey (Union City, Union: house, to buy)
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I can't believe that they can only pay that little. Plus, face it, the corruption is some of the most expensive in the US.
Contrary to popular belief, not all suburbanites are flush financially. Many are truck drivers, carpenters, low level management cubicle dwellers, clerks etc.
Like it or not, great pizza and bagels notwithstanding, NJ has become a state that many born and raised don't just leave, they flee.
That's sad because NJ has so much to offer naturally but that doesn't pay the bills.
Truck drivers, carpenters, low level management cubicle dwellers, etc...all make a wage, so there is your income tax. These folks also OWN their homes, so that provides property tax revenue. There are also businesses in the suburbs which provide tax revenue. Now for the cities-some folks are living on welfare, others are making too little to pay income tax, so there goes that. The buildings they live in are worth nothing so the slumlord who owns them pays little property tax if he bothers paying it at all, which is very common. Business and industry left our cities years ago so that's a moot point. Clean up the corruption and reinvest in cities-that's the only way to make the tax situation more fair by taking the burden off of the suburbs.
The implementation of school and municipal services would seem to be a no-brainer on the surface of it. But given that it might be done "Jersey style", it might not produce any savings. A given "area" might be selected as a consolidation of three towns. So one might expect that a position such as school superintendent would result in a savings of two superintendent salaries. That would be nice, but I fear that the remaining two superintendents would be "demoted" to assistant superintendents at their prevailing salaries and the newly created district would end up giving the superintendent a $10,000 raise. Isn't that the "Jersey way"?
Maybe instead of getting "a Christie" for governor, we could hire Vladimir Putin at a "Goldman Sachs" salary to come over here and straighten the state out. He could come up with a plan to decrease the number of municipal employees by 40%. This would make his $35,000,000 salary chump change!
An example: Meridith Viera sits in the middle of Giants Stadium hosting "Do You really want to be a Superintendent"? Contestants would be playing for their retirement package and job. If they couldn't at least get to the $100,000 question, they'd be fired. You could have the mayor of your town, a relative, and whatever nerdy high school geek you wanted, as your "lifelines". A contestant who got to the $250,000 level would keep their job and whatever level they got to, would represent their new 401K money because their pensions have been eliminated. That ought to save a few bucks!
Towns and cities host their own "Jeopardy Contests" to see who will remain as teachers and municipal workers. Teachers who lose might be re-hired only when the student to teacher ratio exceeds 30-to-1. That was about the level I experienced growing up and we turned out O.K. This 15-to 1 ratio currently seen is for the birds!! Municipal workers who lost, could only be hired back when the level of services fell below what was offered in 1950.
Relatives no closer than 3rd cousins could work in the same department in any given town or city. That would cut down on nepotism!
Anyone else got some innovative ideas to save NJ Taxpayers who constantly populate the show "The Biggest Loser"?
Truck drivers, carpenters, low level management cubicle dwellers, etc...all make a wage, so there is your income tax. These folks also OWN their homes, so that provides property tax revenue. There are also businesses in the suburbs which provide tax revenue. Now for the cities-some folks are living on welfare, others are making too little to pay income tax, so there goes that. The buildings they live in are worth nothing so the slumlord who owns them pays little property tax if he bothers paying it at all, which is very common. Business and industry left our cities years ago so that's a moot point. Clean up the corruption and reinvest in cities-that's the only way to make the tax situation more fair by taking the burden off of the suburbs.
I agree, but then comes the problem of what do you do with all the urban low income people who will no longer be able to afford to live in a city that's been reinvested in...gentrified so to say??
....... Clean up the corruption and reinvest in cities-that's the only way to make the tax situation more fair by taking the burden off of the suburbs.
That would be nice but those in control of NJ, the urban political machines and their constituents, obviously see no reason to change things.
Are you confident you'll see changes that will make NJ better for everybody?
I agree, but then comes the problem of what do you do with all the urban low income people who will no longer be able to afford to live in a city that's been reinvested in...gentrified so to say??
The rising tide will lift some boats. Affordable housing would have to be set aside of course. REAL reinvestment in cities means jobs at many different income levels, so people who want to work will be able to. As for the rest, they can go live somewhere else.
Is the NJ school system really broken? Sure I know that some systems are terrible but should we mess with the whole state to possibly (and probably not) save a few bucks? There are many studies that say consolidating schools will save nothing. And if it does save something do you really think those savings will be passed on to the tax payer? Not a chance I say.
We should not lose sight of the fact that NJ has some of the best darn schools in the country. Some of the small school systems are almost totally (soon to be completley) self supporting and can compete easily with the elite private schools. I'm more of the thinking, "if it ain't broke".......
Is the NJ school system really broken? Sure I know that some systems are terrible but should we mess with the whole state to possibly (and probably not) save a few bucks? There are many studies that say consolidating schools will save nothing. And if it does save something do you really think those savings will be passed on to the tax payer? Not a chance I say.
We should not lose sight of the fact that NJ has some of the best darn schools in the country. Some of the small school systems are almost totally (soon to be completley) self supporting and can compete easily with the elite private schools. I'm more of the thinking, "if it ain't broke".......
Where I disagree with you is the cause of these schools, and their achievement. It's not because of money thrown at the school, but rather, the culture fostered by the parents in the school districts where schools are rated highest. New Jerseyans as a whole, value education, and you will find the districts that have the highest earners will have the schools with the highest test scores. The teachers and the buildings they teach in are neutral: the real difference is the parents and the culture.
Where I disagree with you is the cause of these schools, and their achievement. It's not because of money thrown at the school, but rather, the culture fostered by the parents in the school districts where schools are rated highest. New Jerseyans as a whole, value education, and you will find the districts that have the highest earners will have the schools with the highest test scores. The teachers and the buildings they teach in are neutral: the real difference is the parents and the culture.
I don’t think we disagree. I never suggested a reason certain school districts are successful. I'm sure it is because of the parental involvement. And that championing of our children’s education is what I don't want to see diluted. The Abbot District’s debacle has proved you can't throw money at this problem and solve it. If only it were that easy....
Where I disagree with you is the cause of these schools, and their achievement. It's not because of money thrown at the school, but rather, the culture fostered by the parents in the school districts where schools are rated highest. New Jerseyans as a whole, value education, and you will find the districts that have the highest earners will have the schools with the highest test scores. The teachers and the buildings they teach in are neutral: the real difference is the parents and the culture.
mike - How true! The best NJ schools really are some of the best in the country, but conversely the worst NJ schools are some of the worst in the country. Parental involvement is a major factor in good schools, but the best ones seem to come with "crushing" property taxes.
There is a lot of stuff to here, and it has almost everything to enjoy.. however it is becoming ridiculously expensive. After paying a 30% Fed Tax, $9,200 a year in property taxes, out of control NJ taxes, 7% sales tax I have no money. This state is becoming more of a welfare state for Trenton, Camden and Newark. The political corruption unbelievable... Im counting down the days, until I can find a job out state and leave!!
I know what you mean. I was at the point you are today exactly 19 months ago. It took me a full year to find a job in TX that would pay for the relocation of my family. I have no regrets. Best of luck to you. We've been in TX for a little over a month now. Our home in NJ is still on the market, though.
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