Taxes in New Jersey are definately high but also look at this.....
Average per capita INCOME
UNITED STATES - $ 34,586.00
NEW JERSEY - $ 43,771.00
The fact is that New Jerseyans generally make a lot more money than people in other states (except CT & MA). The number of millionaires+++ living in New Jersey is staggering. New Jersey also receives less Federal aid than any other US state. These affect the tax ratios compared to other less affluent (I hate that term) states making New Jersey look far worse than it actually is.
I am not advocating for high taxes, I am just saying that a careful mathematical look at the tax levels in New Jersey would reveal that they are not as detrimental as they seem because of the much higher income levels.
One of the big problems with taxes in New Jersey is that the state heavily subsidizes poor urban school districts and this burden is passed on to other New Jersey citizens through various taxes including local property taxes.
BINGO, you get the prize. Small towns and small regional school districts (of which there are thousands in NJ- that's another problem), support urban areas, forcing them to fund local schools at a rate higher than needed. They get nothing in return other than unfunded mandates from the a$$hats in Trenton.