Resident Questions Potential Consequences of Blue Laws Repeal

I was raised in Paramus, NJ, a town that has Blue Laws to this day. Many throughout Bergen County and the State of New Jersey, and heck, throughout the country and the world are shocked that residents continue to support such a thing. But for some reason, when you talk to a Paramus resident, 9 times out of 10 they will get passionate about how much they appreciate having Blue Laws in Paramus and Bergen County and why they must keep them intact. 

If you don’t know much about Paramus, you should know it is a special place. A town of just over 26,000 residents, and $5 billion in retail sales annually. There are five malls (yes, 5!) plus two highways of retail space. If you think about it, that means that if you live in Paramus, you are always only a five-minute drive from a store, can send your kids to great public schools, and pay low property taxes. The economics of Paramus are ideal with almost every retailer out there wanting a location in Paramus, NJ, where the slogan is, Shop Till You Drop.

So often we ask ourselves, why Blue Laws? Why are they so important? What challenges do they create for residents of Bergen County, that for some gosh darn reason Paramus residents don’t want to acknowledge? I have read the statement put out Shashoua's group "Modernize Bergen County" and as someone who works in community and economic development I totally buy it.

I buy into the notion that there are economically disadvantaged populations in Bergen County who need to purchase goods on Sunday and taking a bus outside of the County makes it even more difficult. I buy into the notion that people have less time during the week due to work and the commitments they have for their children, and working on their home on Sunday is truly the only time they have and they need to get to the local home repair store. I agree that there are 70 municipalities in Bergen County, and residents must decide for themselves in each town whether Blue Laws should stay or go.

These are all logical arguments that more often than not Paramus residents respond with a passionate and honest, “but we just want peace and quiet one damn day a week!” But are there logical arguments that can be made for keeping the Blue Laws? 

Competing interests when Blue Laws are repealed have been found to have effects on various aspects of a community’s social and economic wellbeing. A study done at the University of Missouri showed an impact on educational attainment while a study at Stanford University showed that repealing Blue Laws could increase fatal car accidents.

But could there be more? Could Blue Laws reduce pollution and the risk of cancer for residents? Could Blue Laws decrease heart attacks from stress and increase family stability? Could costs to the County and the municipalities be reduced and therefore keep property taxes down while funding excellent school districts because of a reduction in traffic one day a week? Could Blue Laws attract people to live in Bergen County, close proximity to New York City while also living a slower lifestyle one a day a week?

The real question we have to ask ourselves is, whether or not the whole is greater than the sum of its parts? Are the consequences seen in studies of communities that don’t have Blue Laws worth the convenience of shopping locally one more day a week? With 70 municipalities and many reasons to get rid of Blue Laws, is there a possibility that keeping these laws may actually be the reason Bergen County and Paramus, NJ is as amazing of a place to live, work and shop as it is. 

Shanee Helfer

Paramus