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Some of the things that set New Jersey apart from other states are sources of pride. Our tomatoes are world-renowned. And I'll take Jersey corn over what's grown anyplace else.
But some of our other distinctions are harder to swallow. Take our over-reliance on local property taxes. No other state calls upon homeowners to pay a bigger burden for providing government services than New Jersey. Judged by how other states do it, we're still stuck in an 18th century time warp that says the value of your house is a good indicator of your ability to pay taxes.
Try as we might, we can't seem to break out of this. Big ideas get pilloried by opportunistic politicians who see the chance to win an election or two by claiming reformers want to raise taxes. Instead, little ideas prevail, chipping at the problem in ways that only make a real solution harder.
Two state Senators are fed up with this vicious circle and they've come up with a suggestion worth taking. Sens. William Schluter, a Republican from Mercer County, and John Adler, a Democrat from Camden County, propose that the state hold a constitutional convention in 2002 for the purpose of fixing New Jersey's broken tax system. Whatever the delegates to the constitution (two from each legislative district plus the governor, former governors and 10 others) approved would then go before the public on the November election ballot.
The bipartisanship this proposal reflects is important. Rarely has New Jersey's tax problem been dealt with in such a manner. Even more important, the convention Adler and Schluter call for stands a good chance of producing the sort of honest debate that has been missing from the discussion for far too long. There's no question but that people in New Jersey feel their property taxes are too high. But no one gives them real choices, just bumper-sticker slogans and lip service. The public's voice stands a much better chance of being heard at a convention where, not coincidentally, the Legislature would take a back seat. And that would be fine for many legislators who know what is the right thing to do, but don't have the courage to do it. This way they won't have to cast a vote.
Imagine a deliberative gathering taking weeks to really analyze and improve New Jersey's tax system, followed by a months-long campaign where the supporters of change get to explain it and the opponents, by the nature of the election process, have to specify their objections and say what they would do instead. The status quo simply couldn't survive such an exercise.
Twice before, New Jersey has held constitutional conventions. Each time the hard work of the men and women who were delegates made this a better, more modern place. Somehow, they could see beyond the politics of the moment in ways the Legislature, the parties and the interest groups that set the state's agenda just can't or won't. With a new century upon us, it's time to do it again.
This commentary appeared October 25, 2000 in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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