N.J. again finishes near top in out-migration survey

If you're thinking about moving out of NJ, you have plenty of company.

http://www.njbiz.com/article.asp?aID=79289

The number of people leaving New Jersey continues to beat the number coming into the state, based on an annual report by Mayflower Transit LLC.

Through August 2009, 58.6 percent of the New Jersey moves handled by the St. Louis-based national moving company were “outbound,” or exiting the state. Only three states — Maine, Nebraska and Michigan — had a higher percentage of people fleeing.

The state’s ranking did improve from 2008, when 59.8 percent of Mayflower's New Jersey moves were outbound and only Michigan and Nebraska fared worse.

“The good news is that we’re not the worst in the nation,” said John Holub, president of the Trenton-based New Jersey Retail Merchants Association.

“It’s no surprise, since reports indicate that New Jersey has one of the highest unemployment rates in the region, and a tax and regulatory climate that’s consistently rated one of the least friendly for businesses,” he said. “It’s a costly and difficult place to do business, and the ripple effect is that people are moving out.”

Organizations like the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program Inc. are trying to help businesses cope with New Jersey’s costly climate by helping them adopt lean manufacturing and other techniques, but it’s still a struggle, said Robert L. Loderstedt III, chief executive officer of the Morris Plains-based organization.

“Companies usually don’t like to leave a state, especially if they have customers and families there,” he said. “But I’m sure that high taxes, a high cost of living and other burdens have something to do with [the Mayflower] numbers. These issues impact individuals and businesses alike.”