WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. — Taxes, taxes, taxes.
It’s a familiar story and, while nothing ever seems to change to make life more affordable for Garden State residents, a new survey suggests they may be poised to vote with their feet in record numbers.
The Monmouth University Poll has been asking New Jerseyans about the quality of life in their home state since 1980. Its “Garden State Quality of Life Index” score is hitting a record low this year, with only half of New Jersey residents describing their state as excellent (15%) or good (39%).
45% name property taxes as New Jersey’s top challenge, and another 25% combined cite other taxes; New Jerseyans’ concerns exist notwithstanding the fact that they recently elected Phil Murphy who ran for governor promising to raise taxes.
“Unless you’ve had your head in the sand for the past ten years, you know that New Jersey’s onerous property tax burden is the single most cited reason for what ails the state. Trenton lawmakers have avoided tackling this problem for too long and we now see it eroding satisfaction with life in the Garden State as a whole. Given these results, it’s no surprise that more and more New Jerseyans are choosing to vote with their feet by simply moving out of the state,” opined Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute.
Click here to check out the full report.
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