We have no choice but to address the burdensome and complex regulatory structure of New Jersey, which is related directly to many of the other problems facing our state. Few, if any, people in or out of government understand the many and often byzantine
rules of the various departments of state government. Many hours and much money are wasted with consultants and lawyers trying to understand, or arguing over interpretations of, regulations.
We need to convene widely representative task forces in
virtually every department of state government, with the goal of addressing overlapping, conflicting, redundant and contradictory regulations. There should be no intent to roll back or dilute existing requirements, but simply to make them easier
to understand and follow. It is a project that will take two to four years, and it will not get much attention, nor have any media appeal, but if we don't address it, we will never improve the efficiency, effectiveness or costs of government.
