the roman empire.

I put this post in my "drafts" last week. I wasn't sure I really wanted anyone to read it, or rather, I didn't think anyone would want to read it. But I think it is relevant to many parts of the country, and can be versatile in individual application, so, here it is:

A response to the debate with Paul last night about Bergen County.

Recap: He was trying to convince me that we, as a county, are ignorant consumers for accepting large annual property tax increases and refusing to regionalize our small towns. He believes that regionalization will solve our tax problems, but being a native from Atlantic County and a "planner", I don't think he can fully appreciate the nature of the beast that is Bergen County or the nature lifestyles I've grown up around.

Here's what I think:

In order for Bergen County to actively participate in progressive social systems [governmental, educational, civic, ect.], it must first collapse. But, as long as people are willing to pay rising property taxes that ensure the safety of their communities without being further inconvenienced - and though it pains me to admit, I do believe that property tax DOES influence local crime - it will continue to function as a puppet to "big business." Personally (and I think this proves my point), I'm just happy that I live in a place where I can run at 1 a.m. if I wish to, without worry. New Brunswick's lovely crime rate has done nothing for my running. People are likely to avoid change if it causes inconvience, and if there is any group of people who will choose inaction over action to avoid inconvience, it is the residences of Bergen County. Change is a hassle that people will pay to avoid, and political and administrive officals alike will encourage inaction to maintain power, simple as that. Action is time that these people don't have, what with their daily commute to a fifty hour+ a week career and their children in Montisuri schools, and the political system does little to accomediate the average resident's hectic schedule. Change starts at the polls and the hours for voting are usually during the week, during the day, when the average voter is working to pay those rising property taxes - subsequently, residence pay the annual taxes because they can not afford the inconvience it would be to their agenda to vote.

Grand, idealistic plans, regulations, systems, and restrictions for a district are pointless if you can not get its residence to vote for them. So, before we discuss these plans for my County, or for any district whose fundemental systems are dysfunctionally functioning, why don't we try to educate our voters in a way that appeal to THEIR lifestyles - not the lifestyles of the planner or politians, who can hardly understand a system they do not live in themselves - and make it convenient for them to vote for these more progressive plans; keep the polls open later, and have them open on weekends.

Now here come the questions on the tip of my brain: How can you make an area just as safe with lower taxes? I mean, let's face it, affluent areas have less condense, violent crime. And how are property tax and property value directly related? Because I know if taxes and value go down, crime tends to move in. It's an undisputable trend. How do you convince a person that this won't happen, and then, how do you keep your word? Bergen County residents are pretty savvy to the lying ways of the New Jersey political system. So how can you make a overtly corrupt system trustworthy to a skeptical voter? If they don't vote for you, you can't change the systems in which they live, and who wants to vote in support of a system that is just as dysfunctional as the districts within it? These people are interested in having "the best" of everything for themselves and their children: can you promise them good schools, safe neighborhoods, and the luxury in which they live now through these other systems? If not, you'll just have to wait for residents to see such taxes as an inconvience. Certainly, there will be people who will be forced out of the area by taxes, maybe even my own family, but it IS still a highly densely populated area and as long as their are people who find that area desirable, and have the money to afford its fees, there will be some always to take the place of people who leave.