Read this really great study by Mercatus Center’s Frederic Sautet and Eileen Norcross about New Jersey. This is a very comprehensive work on what is going on in the Garden State. The authors look at all aspects of the New Jersey government in a way that was never done before. They examine the history of the public sector in New Jersey, including the relationships between the federal, state, and local governments, discussing how the loss of the “old time fiscal religion” has resulted in unmanageable budget deficits and a weakened state economy.

Their recommendations:

* Reintroduce competition to local government,

* Cap spending through a Constitutional Tax and Expenditure Limit,

* Reform tax policy to favor economic growth and stability,

* Lower the cost of government to improve services and increase accountability, and

* Clarify the “education clause” in the state constitution.

The whole paper is posted here, on this cool interactive website.