New Jersey's population drain starting to hit state hard

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - New Jersey's accelerating population loss is starting to have significant economic and fiscal consequences for the state, according to a Rutgers University report that found the state may be becoming a less attractive locale.

The report found the state lost 231,565 people between 2002 and 2006, including 72,547 people last year. The latter was the fourth highest loss in the nation behind only California, Louisiana and New York.

Meanwhile, North Carolina grew by 807,000 people over the four-year period, displacing New Jersey last year as the nation's 10th most populous state, the report stated.

"New Jersey residents have been sentenced to a lifetime term of brutal and ever-increasing taxes without any realistic hope of parole as long as the Democrats are in a position to keep spending their money and running up the credit cards," said Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce, R-Morris.

Senate Minority Leader Leonard Lance described the report as "devastating."

"People are voting with their feet," said Lance, R-Hunterdon. "We have to go on a fiscal diet and under no circumstances should we raise taxes yet again."