I live the best of South Jersey every day. My kids have gone to school here; I dine and shop here; I use the region's parks and many service businesses.

Of course, I cross the river into Philadelphia and also spend time in New York and Washington, but South Jersey has a special place in my heart. South Jersey has been my passion in a public-service career that has spanned two decades, as a Camden County freeholder and vice chair of the Delaware River Port Authority.

What's really exciting is that the rest of the Delaware Valley and New Jersey are finally starting to view South Jersey as more than a place to pass through on the way to the Shore. The movement to build and revitalize the eight counties in South Jersey is gaining impressive momentum.

There are many South Jersey projects to talk about, projects that represent a vision of the area that will benefit people like us, who live and work in South Jersey every day.

Most obvious is the dramatic development along the Camden waterfront, stretching from Campbell's Field, the Riversharks' minor-league baseball stadium, past the new luxury apartments at the Victor and the expanding New Jersey State Aquarium, past Ulysses S. Wiggins Park and Marina, and past the Tweeter Center amphitheater, all the way to the USS New Jersey. A new IMAX theater and at least two new restaurants will be added to the mix by the spring of 2005.

Thanks to Gov. McGreevey and our South Jersey legislators, the governmental expenditure in 2002 for Camden's revitalization has proved to be the pied piper of loans, leading private investors to invest to the tune of three or four times the state's $175 million.

This impetus has given rise to the $1.2 billion Cramer Hill redevelopment plan, which calls for 5,000 new homes (in addition to the more than 4,000 already planned for Camden), an 18-hole golf course, new schools, and retail development. These projects will generate more than $20 million in additional tax revenue, hundreds of jobs, and an improved quality of life.

There are other impressive economic development projects: Gloucester County's Riverwinds development; Burlington County's Route 130 revitalization; and the Garden State Park and Crossroads projects in Camden County.

Business and population growth in our region has prompted the opening of a Trenton-to-Camden Light Rail system, including the planned construction of resident-friendly transit villages at several station stops, where travelers can shop and run errands while on their commutes.

There are plans to build a new mass-transportation system that will bring commuters from Cumberland, Salem, and Gloucester Counties to Philadelphia, as well as DRPA plans for the reconstruction of all PATCO stations to alleviate traffic congestion and make commuting more efficient.

To promote these attractions, funding was recently secured for the creation of our own South Jersey Tourism Corp., a regional development and marketing organization to bring visitors to Camden, Burlington, Gloucester, and Salem Counties. Tourism is New Jersey's second-largest industry, generating more than $31 billion annually - an economic catalyst for more jobs for local residents in the hospitality and service industries.

Another organization in development is the South Jersey Regional Development Corp. Once approved, this initiative, spearheaded by funding from the DRPA, will be aimed at making South Jersey a more attractive location for businesses at a regional and national level. With incentive programs, a qualified workforce, enhanced transportation, and quality-of-life improvements, South Jersey is primed to become a successful business region, with the creation of more jobs as the return.

But growth for its own sake is not enough. We're interested in bringing good jobs to our region, improving the area's infrastructure, and raising property values. We want to continue to improve the quality of life for every resident.

South Jersey is no longer a place to pass through - it's a final destination. The new year looks to be an exciting one. But if we are to complete our vision of a better South Jersey, we need to continue to work together and focus on the future.