MAJORITY OF STATE RESIDENTS FAVOR CONSOLIDATING MUNICIPALITIES

A new poll says that a majority of New Jerseyans favor consolidating local governments, according to a Rutgers-Eagleton Poll. Half of state residents say there are too many local governments and 70 percent believe the quality of local service would stay the same or get better under consolidation. Residents do not believe there are too many school districts. Only 36 percent hold the belief that there are too many within the state. In total, 54 percent favor government consolidation, while 38 percent would prefer to maintain their own local government, according to the poll.