Local Economy - The Story Remains the Same

In January 2009, Riverguy noted the following in this same Toms River 411 blog: "here in Toms River we usually are somewhat insulated from some worst things going on in society, but the bad economic "big picture" has shown up on our doorstep. Many small businesspeople in the area are really hurting..." Well, I'm sorry to say that it appears -- four years later -- that little has changed (in terms of improvement) on the local economic front. In fact, Sandy has struck in the interim, and both ordinary citizens and small business owners are more hard-pressed than ever. The economic fallout from Sandy will be with us for years.

Just look around -- there are lots of empty store-fronts both Downtown and in most of the strip-malls throughout the area.

Also in the post from four years ago, Riverguy noted that, if the economy continued to worsen, we'd also be subject to more crime. I'm hearing all of the time that violent crime is down all over the country -- and even if this is true for our area, it seems that the number of scams and thefts have jumped up, as well as drug use throughout Ocean County.

So...what the average person do?

The story remains the same there, too. Work hard. Vote wisely - elect officials who understand the economic plight of the ordinary person, and will work to fix it. Cast a skeptical eye on the news...news (and even weather!) have become full of "entertainment" and hype. Support your local businesses, especially the Mom and Pop places. Support the Downtown - a vibrant downtown is essential for our area to recover. It is the seat of government, and the historical and cultural center of our area. Malls and shopping centers are great, but Downtown is where professionals, shops, restaurants, and fun events all come together. Spending some time (and $$) there helps us all.