Should New Jersey be broken up into separate states?

Last weekend, I read an article published by one of our colleagues at one of our sister stations about the stereotypical Jersey-ism's they deal with on an almost daily basis in South Jersey (You can check out that article here).

That got me into thinking, has the time come to break us up into multiple states? And if we did that, how many states should be become? North Jersey? South Jersey? Central Jersey? The Shore? Let's dive in.

Starting in the North...

The Great State of North Jersey

Giants and Jets territory (I don't care that they call themselves New York, they play on our side of the Hudson). Where breakfast is a Taylor Ham, egg & cheese sandwich on a hard roll (sorry pork roll, that name's not used around here), and in summer, you spend the weekend down the shore. A place where 287 simply isn't a number, but a daily headache. And let's not forget about the beautiful Appalachian Mountains, and that NYC is just a (very expensive) bridge, tunnel, or ferry away. The Great State of North Jersey.

From Taylor Ham, to pork roll and blueberries...

The Great State of South Jersey

Home of the Pine Barrens. Where we root for the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Eagles, all while enjoying a delicious hoagie during the game. Speaking of hoagies, Wawa is a part of daily life here, and gambling in Atlantic City is just a short drive away. The Jersey Devil also lives here, along with Lucy the Elephant. And let's not forget about the unique charm Cape May has to offer. Plus, South Jersey's taxes aren't as high (although that doesn't mean they're low either). The Great State of South Jersey.

But what about the middle?

The Great State of Central Jersey

Could there be such a thing? A better question is, SHOULD there be such a thing? Where would you define the borders? And, what could Central Jersey claim as their own? Could Great Adventure be considered Central Jersey? So many questions. If Freehold and Sayreville fall within the boarders of Central Jersey, then you can proudly clam Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi as your own. The Great State of Central Jersey.

Last, but not least...

The Great State of The Jersey Shore

Another argument could be made for the Jersey Shore. Think about it. If the Shore was it's own state, it would have more beaches then the other "Jersey" states. Salt water taffy and all of that greasy boardwalk food would be plentiful. Plus, the scene of legendary music would be yours in Asbury Park. And, endless tourism at the beaches every summer. Sure, they cause traffic and crowd the beaches, but they pay a fortune to be there thanks to beach badges, which in turn would be great for the Jersey Shore economy. And after the summer season is over, Central Jersians can enjoy a free and emptier beach thanks to the famous "local summer." The Great State of The Jersey Shore.

Of course, every New Jersey region would have one thing in common

Taxes, taxes, and more taxes

For some reason, we all accept the fact that it's expensive here. Regardless of the New Jersey "state" you live in, we'll all get burned by paying a ridiculous amount in taxes. Hey, perhaps it's the one thing that unites us.... our endless desire to NOT be so expensive. The Great State of New Jersey, the land of the broke.

Our differences make us unique

You can't argue that we're not a unique state. Nowhere else is there such a diverse difference across such a small region, and that's a pretty cool claim. Now if we can finally just get our taxes under control, we wouldn't have to keep reminding the last person who leaves to make sure they turn out the lights.