Those who have followed the news surely have seen that Governor Corzine is undergoing a big push to merge school districts and municipalities all across the state of New Jersey. He thinks this is a way to help rein in the increase in property taxes.
Here's a prediction: It is INEVITABLE that some high-ranking official will suggest that all the sending districts to Hackensack should merge with the City of Hackensack so that there is one municipality and one school district.
That would mean Hackensack, Maywood, Rochelle Park, and South Hackensack would become one city. And throw in Teterboro, since it sends it’s few kids to the South Hackensack K-8 school. I guess we’d have a total population of about 60,000.
I’m going to give this whole merger issue some serious thought, although I’ll say two things for now.
(1) I’d be dead set against merging Hackensack with all of Bergen County, we’d have no voice and our rights would be trampled upon. Forget zoning and planning, and the rest of Bergen County will throw down a welcome mat for all social services to come to Hackensack.
(2) I like the idea of Hackensack picking up South Hackensack and Teterboro. We’d be gaining a lot of good housing stock and great commercial ratables. Plus we'd theoretically would have extra say over the airport issue. We'd get a good-size school on a good size school campus that currently only serves a town of 3000 people, if that. Plus a police station that could remain a precinct station. Plus a borough hall building that could be put to "community" use. I think we could absorb South Hackensack and Teterboro without any impact on our own municipal structure. I doubt their property taxes would go down, but ours certainly would.
As for other towns merging with Hackensack, I'm still thinking about it. And who gets stuck merging with Bogota, and having to deal with their crazy mayor.
What do people think of Corzine’s idea of merging municipalities? Is this a good idea? If so, what towns should be merged? Serious responses only, this is not an open invitation for jabs from hamburgler and average-joe.