Steve Lonegan on New Jersey

Check out my New Jersey Trivia page!

I have become somewhat of a political activist since retiring in New Jersey.

We purchased our little 3-bedroom rancher in 2003 and discovered that the property taxes anywhere else in America would have been considerably less. Although our house is worth less today due to the national mortgage crises, property taxes have nearly doubled.

The information below is from a brochure titled "Making New Jersey Competitive" published by the New Jersey Chapter of Americans for Prosperity in which Steve Lonegan writes:

Through history New Jersey has led the country in economic development and the prosperity that can only grow from a freemarket capitalist society.

During the Industrial Revolution, the state led the transition from an agriculturally based economy to a manufacturing powerhouse. Our cities were models for urban manufacturing centers across the country. Camden, with its harbor and the monolithic Campbell's Soup Company; Paterson, which harnessed the power of its waterfalls to secure its domination of the textile industry; and Trenton, a dynamic manufacturing center boasting its proud slogan: "Trenton Makes - the World Takes."

New Jersey's small towns capitalized on demographic and geographic strengths to drive steady economic growth. For two hundred years, with no Department of Economic Planning, no government subsidies, and free of over-taxation, New Jersey was the envy of the entire country.

Today, under the shadow of government expansion, high taxes, and suffocating regulations, New Jersey is continuing to lose its competitive advantage.

To preserve our state's economic future, we must adopt policies that allow the free market to flourish. These policies will return New Jersey to the principles that have made us the envy of the world.

-Steve Lonegan

DID YOU KNOW?

New Jersey ranks near the bottom among the 50 states when it comes to the growth rates of private sector jobs. In 2007, New Jersey had the 5th lowest private job growth rate in the country, experiencing -.01% growth (U.S. Department of Labor. Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor).

From 2000-2006, New Jersey had the 6th lowest growth in average wage per job (U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis). About half of New Jersey adults say they expect to be no better off financially, or even worse off, next year. (Farleigh Dickinson University, "Public Mind Poll")

Between 2000-2006, New Jersey government spending grew 20% faster than its economy did (U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census). Thirty-five states had economies that grew faster than New Jersey's during the same period (U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis). Had New Jersey's economy grown at the national average of 15.2% since 2000, it would be nearly $20 billion larger today. That's $2,300 per state resident. (U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis).

From 2000-2007, New Jersey's population experienced a net decrease of 377,159 people (United Lines 2007 Migration Study).

In 2007, the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council ranked New Jersey as the least friendly state to entrepreneurship.

From 2000 to 2007, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that New Jersey's state and local governments added almost 59,500 jobs while the state's private employers added only 20,000 jobs.

Since 1965, the Garden State's debt has increased by 600%. Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Census

For more information on Steve Lonegan, go to www.lonegan.com