January Sun, 2004
REGIONALIZATION: A LONG ROW TO HOE
In November, Governor James McGreevey stood before a gathering of the state’s municipal leaders and — echoing proposals offered by his two elected predecessors — called for regionalization of local services as a way to reduce the tax burden on New Jersey citizens. And while property taxes continue to rise, the latest Star-Ledger/Eagleton-Rutgers Poll finds that the clarion call for consolidating services in the state’s 566 municipalities has barely made a dent in the public’s consciousness.
January Thu, 2004
PUBLIC OPINION ON GOVERNOR MCGREEVEY TURNS NEGATIVE
The picture facing Governor James E. MeGreevey is as bleak as the winter landscape. His job performance rating has declined markedly since September; Democratic support continues to fall; more Garden State residents now hold unfavorable than favorable opinions of him, and only one-third of the state’s registered voters say they would vote for a second McGreevey term if the election was held today.
January Mon, 2004
NEW JERSEY IN BLACK AND WHITE
This year marks the 4O anniversary of the Civil Rights Act. And four decades on, fewer than 1-in-3 New Jerseyans believes that racial equality has been achieved. In addition, the state is equally divided on whether affirmative actions programs are necessary to overcome discrimination. And, as might be expected, there are stark differences in opinion on these issues among various racial groups in the state.
January Sun, 2004
THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN NEW JERSEY: DEAN LEADS DEMOCRATS; NEW JERSEY DIVIDED ON BUSH
Vermont Governor Howard Dean leads the pack in New Jersey, just as he does among Democrats in the country as a whole. On the eve of Iowa’s caucuses, the first major event in the presidential nominating process, Dean is the first choice of about one in four (23%) Garden State Democrats. Five other candidates—Senators John Kerry and Joe Lieberman, Representative Dick Gephardt, retired General Wesley Clark and the Rev. Al Sharpton—are bunched behind Dean, each with the support of about one Democrat in ten. Trailing this group are Senator John Edwards (3%) and Representative Dennis Kucinich (3%).