NJ is really two different states — should we split?

Yesterday we featured an article on NJ1015.com about poor South Jersey towns getting less aid than poor towns in the rest of the state. Frankly, I don't care. State aid of any kind makes me nauseous since I'm always on the giving end and never on the receiving, not that I want any. But I digress.

For many years, folks in South Jersey have felt like the red-headed stepchild in New Jersey. Most of the wealth and power is concentrated in the northern half of the state. But the real issue to me is culture. It REALLY is two different states. The accent, some of the food, sports allegiance, driving habits, all very different depending on which side of "the line" you're on.

Here's the tricky part. Where's the line?

I'd say north of Bordentown running east to the northern tip of LBI. Along that line is a mix and it all has to do with "media markets". North of that line is the New York media market, south of it is the Philadelphia media market. This dictates all sorts of things like sports allegiance, food, colloquialisms, geographic references and so on. No animosity here. No hatred for the "other side". This doesn't have to be contentious. Our side is not better than yours. There will still be visitation and life will go on.

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