I’ve lived in Summit, NJ for almost my entire life. My family moved here in 1953 when I was five years old and starting kindergarten, and I stayed here until leaving for college in 1966. In 1979, I moved back with my husband and children. Except for six months in 1987 and about twelve months in 2004, I’ve been here ever since.
I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with the place. I love Summit’s lively downtown, its leafy trees, its great commute to New York City, and the excellent school system.
But this town has become, in large part, about money and status. Summit is now a favorite of Wall Street professionals with lots of money. They want lots of amenities and services, so our property taxes have skyrocketed. A modest three-bedroom home can have taxes of over $12,000. That’s if you can find a modest three-bedroom home; most are being torn down and replaced with mansions. It’s hard for middle-income and fixed-income people to stay here.
I often think about leaving Summit. I grew up here. I raised my children here, and now I have some responsibility for my ninety-year-old mother, who still lives in the house I grew up in. So my heart is here.
However, neither of my children—daughters, who are married and ages thirty and thirty-four—live close by. And it is such an expensive place to live. I am really ready for a new home. If both my children lived in the same part of the country, I would want to move in that direction. But they don’t, and my mom needs me. So I think I’m here for a while longer.
