Last month, local officials from all over New Jersey got together to learn how better to serve their fellow citizens. Once again, I saw their commitment and their dedication. They do so much. But, it seems there's always so much more that needs to be done. So I figured that I'd write to you for help. Here's my wish list for all the people who live in our Garden State.

Please Santa, give us an interested, informed and involved electorate. This American experiment in representative democracy can only continue to flourish in an environment of civic virtue, where the vast majority of our fellow citizens jealously guard their rights and honorably discharge their responsibilities. And help the Press to inspire both citizens and officials to remember how fragile and how important this experiment is.

Please give the children of New Jersey nurturing homes in safe neighborhoods. Spare them from fear of random violence and protect them from abuse. Let them never learn the poison of bigotry. Give them good schools, good friends and good role models, so that they may grow straight and strong to take their rightful places in New Jersey's future.

Give their parents good jobs and good sense, so that they may realize their dreams for their families. And please spare their grandparents from any anxiety about meeting their expenses and providing for their needs.

Now I know that this is not normally your department, Santa, but if you could put in a word about our state's need for rain, it would surely be appreciated. Just ask that it not come all at once, because many of us are still recovering from "Floyd."

Help New Jersey resolve its revenue worries, so that the state can again fulfill its responsibility to provide inflation adjusted property tax relief funding to all its local governments. This will help us to meet our constituents' needs for quality public service, without further burdening them with onerous property tax increases.

And while we're on the topic, help our state to address the need for meaningful, consistent and reliable property tax relief. Just in case you're not a regular reader of this magazine, let me tell you that the property tax accounts for over 45 percent of total state and local tax revenue in our state; while the national average is just slightly over 30 percent. And in New Jersey, those with the least shoulder a disproportionate share of the burden. Santa, that just ain't right.

Please help our cities and our depressed rural communities to continue to provide their people with the same level of service and the same quality programs to which they should be entitled as citizens of this most prosperous state.

Help us preserve our open spaces and protect our environment. And give local officials the tools that can make that a reality, such as "Clean Communities," "Timed Growth" and "Impact Fee" legislation.

For all of us, but most especially for those denied the gift, give us peace in our hearts, peace in our homes, peace in our neighborhoods and peace in the world.

That's all for now, Santa. (Just keep those reindeer out of Princeton.)

May we all have a joyous holiday season and a happy and healthy New Year.