Moving companies confirm - NJ is a big loser

In an article in the Home News Tribune, the two largest moving companies examined the pattern of inbound versus outbound migration in various states. And of course, New Jersey was notable:

Data from two moving companies provide "on the ground" snapshot certifications of the more comprehensive Census Bureau data. First is the annual interstate "migration study" of United Van Lines, the nation's largest carrier. Its report tracks the states where its customers moved from and moved to. New Jersey was the third-ranking "high outbound" state in the survey. Of the total United Van Lines' interstate movements that took place in New Jersey in 2007, 61 percent were outbound compared to 39 percent inbound.

The Garden State ranked third in outbound percentage behind economically challenged Michigan (67.8 percent outbound), which ranked No. 1. Michigan has been devastated by a collapsing industrial/automobile economy. We also trailed weather-challenged North Dakota (67.2 percent outbound). Second-ranking North Dakota has the lowest average annual temperature (42.2 degrees) in the lower 48 states. In contrast, New Jersey's weather has been mild and free of extremes, and its economy had been growing modestly, yet the outflow continued apace.

Wow! We are now being compared to Michigan. But I am not that surprised. Michigan has a liberal Governor who in the midst of the largest outbound migration in her state's history, saw nothing wrong with massive tax and spending hikes. Sound familiar? The sad thing about Michigan is that so many of the productive people in the state have left, they have virtually no hope of breaking out of this cycle.

New Jersey is in much the same boat. It seems that the Governor and legislature of this state are so busy handing out taxpayer money, they are forgetting the once all the productive people leave, they won't be able to pay for their largesse anymore. Of course, it isn't all good news for the moving companies:

In any case, the two moving companies have a good customer in New Jersey, although they have to keep shipping empty moving vans into the state in order to move New Jerseyans out. This is just the opposite of the growing stacks of empty cargo containers in the Port Newark area, where far more cargo containers with goods flow into New Jersey than flow out. Thus, our cargo movements have an interesting lack of symmetry with our household goods movements.

Just remember fellow citizen-there is a empty container with your name on it just waiting for you to say enough is enough. And for our legislators, keep on taxin' so the moving companies can keep on truckin'.

Read the article here.

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