Summit should be
just the beginning

Tuesday’s economic summit in East Brunswick is an important step forward in helping the state solve some of its problems.

The event, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (D-12th District), brought together many individuals of varying backgrounds and an array of agendas and philosophies.

The dialogue that began at the Hilton Tower Center should continue to give those with differing viewpoints a chance to come together to find real solutions for the state’s problems.

The summit, planned diligently for many months by Holt’s office, invited those in industry, academics and government to share their perspectives on economic issues.

We think that is important.

Central New Jersey, after all, is a region in name only. It is the section of the state that is not part of the Greater New York or Greater Philadelphia areas. We are more of a combination of both, and thus, one could argue we are the only true New Jersey region. Economically, we tend to keep to ourselves, and we feel the impact of the state’s fiscal crisis the most. We are growing faster than the other regions in the state, and as a result we put up with the traffic, growth and tax impacts more than anyone.

At the same time, our region has the highest concentration of engineers and scientists in New Jersey, and has many other assets that can be used for greater economic development.

As Holt said during Tuesday’s conference, "We are in this together."

State government has seen the wisdom of a statewide, and even a regional plan for growth in which the towns have had input. We feel that this approach on an economic scale, involving all parties at the table, is wise and will provide smart answers to the lingering problems faced by the region.

No one lives in a vacuum.

The decisions made by New Jersey’s more than 500 municipalities to help themselves does have an impact on neighbors. Business decisions play out the same way.

By working together, we can have the best possible answer to the multitude of problems facing the region. Many leaving Tuesday’s conference left with a renewed sense of hope and possibilities for the future.

We hope this continues.

Only by working together can we solve our most pressing problems. Neither government nor the private sector can do this alone, but as a partnership, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished.