Discussing such issues as the development of a more activist posture within the state government and the response of the New Jersey polity to growing suburbanization, Barbara G. Salmore and Stephen A. Salmore present the only comprehensive overview of politics and government in New Jersey. This second edition includes a new chapter on the political changes in New Jersey since the book?s original publication in 1993.

In recent decades, local governments across America have increasingly turned specialized functions over to autonomous agencies ranging in scope from subdivision-sized water districts to multi-state transit authorities. This book is the first comprehensive examination of the causes and consequences of special-purpose governments in more than 300 metropolitan areas in the United States. It presents new evidence on the economic, political, and social implications of relying on these special districts while offering important findings about their use and significance.