An overview of recent polls of New Jersey residents on issues of growth and development and resource conservation.

1. What do People Want in NJ?
A Review of Key Surveys!
Tim Evans ▪ New Jersey Future
TransAction ▪ April 11, 2012

2. New Jersey Future is a nonprofit, nonpartisan
organization that brings together concerned citizens
and leaders to promote responsible land-use policies.
The organization employs original research, analysis and
advocacy to build coalitions and drive land-use policies
that help revitalize cities and towns, protect natural
lands and farms, provide more transportation choices
beyond cars, expand access to safe and affordable
neighborhoods and fuel a prosperous economy.

4. Land-Use Policy Reality Check
Many aspects of growth and development can be described by data
available from public sources (Census Bureau, NJDOT, NJ Transit, NJ
Dept of Labor, etc.). But to find out whether and how these
quantitative trends affect people subjectively, you have to ask them.
Is what’s important to land-use policy advocates the same as what’s
important to the general public?
“The way New Jersey has been developed over the past generation
has left an indelible imprint on the state’s economy and quality of life
for all residents. Most people look at development from the confines
of their immediate surroundings. Urban residents focus on how their
cityscapes have changed in the past generation while suburban
residents may think more about open spaces.”

6. Opinions About State Priorities
Q1. Please tell me whether each is very important, somewhat important, not very
important, or not at all important for us to address.
A. Attracting new businesses and creating jobs
B. Reducing property taxes
C. Improving education
D. Protecting farmland and open space from development
E. Slowing the rate of development
F. Reducing traffic congestion
G. Having a good transportation system of roads and highways
H. Improving access to public transportation
I. Protecting our drinking water supply
J. Preserving the state’s remaining forests
Very important
Somewhat important
Not very important
Not at all important

7. Environmental Issues Not Necessarily Taking a
Back Seat to Economic Growth
“Protecting natural resources, specifically the state’s drinking water supply, is valued as highly
by New Jersey residents as encouraging new businesses and job growth. While economic
concerns have increased dramatically in the past decade, it’s important to note that New
Jerseyans continue to place a high premium on natural resource preservation.”

8. Weakening Highlands Protections (created by the
“Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act”) May Thus Not Be
a Popular Move

9. Don’t Forget About Property Taxes

10. Don’t Forget About Property Taxes
Property taxes are even more important today than 10 years ago.
(Six of the questions on the 2011 survey were also asked on a
similar survey in 2000.)

11. Pace of Development Not As Big a Concern
When Economy Slows Down
“New Jerseyans are less likely to view the pace of development negatively than
they were ten years ago. This lessening of concern over development is likely tied
to current economic conditions. The rate of construction has slowed because of the
economy and thus over-development is not perceived as a problem right now.”

12. “Economy vs. Environment” Is Not a Zero-
Sum Game In Public’s Mind
“It’s important to note that despite the substantial increase in economic
priorities, other priorities related to sustainability, such as preserving open
space, have not diminished in importance for New Jersey residents.”

13. Center-Based Development
A4. There has been talk
recently of improving existing
towns and cities where people
can walk or take public
transportation to shop or get to
work. Do you think New Jersey
has enough of these types of
communities or do we need more
of them?
“Many planners emphasize focusing growth and development in existing towns
and cities where there are already transportation options and neighborhoods are
within walking distance of services and transit access. Two-thirds (66%) of New
Jerseyans feel that the state needs more of these sustainable communities.”

14. Center-Based Development
“Nearly 3-in-4 New Jerseyans say they would definitely (46%) or probably (27%) like to
live in a community where they could walk to shops or their job and that offered a
variety of transportation options.”

15. Center-Based Development
If there were more compact, walkable, “downtown”-style
communities in New Jersey, would people be willing to trade down to
a smaller house to live there?

16. Redevelopment – Key to
Revitalization
A2. Thinking closer to home, do you think there is too
much, too little, or just the right amount of development
in your area?
Urban residents (32%) are more likely
than residents of established towns and
suburbs (16%) and expanding suburbs
(19%) to say there has been too little
development in their area.

17. Transportation Priorities
• Fix-It-First: “When asked which aspects of transportation
infrastructure should be prioritized, fully 3-in-4 (75%) rate the
maintenance and repair of existing roads and highways as a
high priority … Fewer New Jerseyans rate expanding walkways
and bikeways (41%) or building new roads (36%) as high
priorities.”
• Transit: “A majority of 54% give the same high priority
rating to expanding and improving train and bus services.“

18. Transportation Choices
“Public transportation in New Jersey is generally perceived as being
safe, affordable, and convenient. Just under half say public transit in
New Jersey goes where they want to go.”
“Just over half (52%) of New Jerseyans say they would like to use
public transit or walk or bike more often than they do now. Most
transit users say they would like to use transit even more than they do
now (64% regular riders and 58% occasional riders). However, few of
those who never use transit – just 31% – are inclined to consider it.”

20. Garden State Quality of Life Index
The Garden State Quality of Life Index was created by the Monmouth University
Polling Institute to serve as a resident-based indicator of the quality of life offered
by the state of New Jersey.
The index is based on five separate poll questions:
1. Overall, how would you rate New Jersey as a place to live – excellent, good,
only fair, or poor?
2. How would you rate your town or city as a place to live – excellent, good,
only fair, or poor?
3. How would you rate the quality of the environment in the area where you
live – excellent, good, only fair, or poor?
4. How would you rate the job your local schools are doing – excellent, good,
only fair, or poor?
5. How safe do you feel in your neighborhood at night – very safe, somewhat
safe, or not at all safe?

21. Garden State Quality of Life Index
Tracking changes by region of the state:
Region is defined by county boundaries: Northeast (Bergen, Passaic), Urban Core (Essex,
Hudson), Route 1 Corridor (Mercer, Middlesex, Union), Central Hills (Hunterdon, Morris,
Somerset), Northern Shore (Monmouth, Ocean), Delaware Valley (Burlington, Camden,
Gloucester), and Garden Core (Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, Salem, Sussex, Warren).

22. Monday, August 1, 2011
NEW JERSEY’S QUALITY OF
LIFE BY COUNTY
Highest in Morris, lowest in
Cumberland

23. Garden State Quality of Life Index
Perceptions of quality of life by type of community:
“The study also divided New Jersey towns into five different types of communities: Major Urban Centers,
the six largest cities; Other Urban Areas, any municipality with a population over 25,000 or a high
population density (including Atlantic City, Vineland, and some Union municipalities); Rural Areas, any town
with a population density less than 1,000 people per square mile or a population less than 1,000 (excluding
shore towns); Older Towns & Suburbs, any non-urban or non-rural municipality with slower population
growth; Growing Suburbs; any non-urban or non-rural municipality with high population growth over the
past two decades.”

24. Other Development-Related Questions
• A5. As things stand now, would you like to move out of New Jersey at some point
or would you like to stay here for the rest of your life?
• B8. Just your best estimate, on an average day, how much time would you say you
spend in a car for all reasons, including work, school, errands, and leisure?
• B10. How often do you use public transportation such as buses or trains – every
day, several times a week, several times a month, a few times a year, less often, or
never?
• B14. Thinking about your family’s health, how concerned are you about the quality
of the water you drink – very concerned, somewhat concerned, or not very
concerned?
• B16. How satisfied are you with the availability of open space and parks in the area
where you live – very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very
dissatisfied?

25. Other Development-Related Questions

26. Thank you!
Tim Evans
Director of Research
timevans@njfuture.org
New Jersey Future
137 W. Hanover St.
Trenton, N.J. 08618
609-393-0008 ext. 103
http://www.njfuture.org