New Jersey's strongest asset is its much-vaunted prosperity. Weare one of the richest states in the nation, with a medianhousehold income, based on a three-year average from 2009 to 2011,that ranks fourth in the nation at $65,072, according to the USCensus. This prosperity is due largely to the accident of ourgeography, including our proximity to the East Coast's largest portand our location between two major cities at the heart of one ofthe world's largest consumer markets.

But our continued prosperity is threatened by an anemic level ofjob growth that puts us at a competitive disadvantage with otherstates. New Jersey's private-sector job growth has lagged behindthe national average in the aftermath of the recession, accordingto a recently released report by a high profilebudget task force. New Jersey added only 44,300 private sectorjobs, or a 1.4% increase, during the period analyzed, from June2009 to May 2012, with the report comparing the performance of NewJersey's economy to that of five other states. By contrast, NewYork saw private sector jobs grow by 4.4% in the same period, andthe United States experienced a 2.9% jump in its privateworkforce.

What can be done to boost New Jersey's economy? While I'll leavethe big-picture solutions up to the politicians and economists, Ican comment on the construction sector. Although construction makesup a relatively small proportion of New Jersey private-sectoremployment, a healthy construction sector is very effective atdriving economic activity, and creating jobs, in otherindustries.