Corruption Bust Offers Lens on Development in New Jersey

11 August 2009 - 4:00am

The recent corruption bust that resulted in the arrests of more than 40 people in New Jersey shows the interesting shape of the development process in the state.

In Jersey City especially, a recent building boom had transformed the city. The corruption bust sheds light on how that boom happened and what problems remain in the system.

"The criminal complaints paint a picture of building and zoning departments where influence, connections and payoffs determine who gets a prompt hearing and a smooth approval process on their applications and who is left at the mercy of a process so seemingly dysfunctional that developers sometimes budget for bribes."

Source: Associated Press, August 7, 2009
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Maybe we should blame Thomas Jefferson. He was the godfather of the urban sprawl racket in America.