Area Code - 973 New Jersey

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are five counties in New Jersey and the largest of these is Belleville. The other three counties in New Jersey include Berlin, Camden, and Jersey City.

Although many city officials have been reluctant to be interviewed for this article, they do want their residents to know that a commercial population will be a great thing for Belleville. Some say that there is some disenchantment with major corporations such as Johnson & Johnson now moving into some of the city's downtown properties, but city officials insist that this type of development is needed. But does Belleville really need that much commerce?

One way to gauge the economic impact of your community is to Google it using the "new jersey" keyword. When I typed in "Belleville," the top hit came up was "annual income estimates." Because Belleville has a large presence in manufacturing, there are plenty of people living in the city. Many of them have the means to travel and visit, which is good for business because you have potential customers coming in from all over the world.

It is not just the large corporations who use Belleville. The city's industrial past is still evident in Elizabeth City and Bloomfield. Many factories, shops, and restaurants were built in the region because the state of New Jersey saw the potential for development. Now those same businesses are making money from other parts of the country because of the expanding economy and products made in New Jersey.

There is still work to be done in the state of New Jersey, however, as several major companies have moved their operations to Jersey City and Elizabeth City. This has resulted in a loss of jobs and taxes. But many of the businesses have started to reinvest their income back into the area by hiring more employees and investing in some of the smaller local businesses.

In fact, a group called Clifton Inc. has created an economic development plan to help enhance the area's current economic growth. Another group called Ponderosa was formed to lobby for better education funding for the community.

There are other economic development groups, including the New Jersey State League of Cities and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. These groups can help you with planning your own community development goals. They can also offer free services like marketing your business.

You can have your town hall meetings to tell the city council what you think is important to help the community. Or, you can go to the city's Chamber of Commerce and have your community input. These are just two options you have.