Property taxes rise, and rank among the nation's highest. There is no regionalization and home rule continues to prevail in an atmosphere where politicians are reactive, not proactive. The economy neither improves nor declines, but the gap between the rich and poor grows wider. Racial, gender, and ethnic conflicts worsen. We're tinkering around the edges'' of making improvements, says James Gilbert, former head of the state Planning Commission.
Seniors leave for more affordable states.
Many single-family homes are divided into rental units. As a result of voter apathy, ''ignorance gets in our way,'' says Chester Mattson, Bergen County's planning director. The trains depart from new stations with plenty of parking, surrounded by new housing, and connect with new Hudson River ferries. Regionalized government is more streamlined, and better enables leaders to pursue such technological advances as computer-guided vehicle and highway systems, which further help traffic move along highways, and make the region a leader in telecommunications. Fewer cars ply the roadways, and North Jersey is no longer considered a poster child for air pollution.