Coming from the graphic design industry, I've grown accostomed to some basic layout and design tools that you might find in pagemaker or quark xpress. The layout tools are sufficient, but I spend a lot of time duplicating existing forms. Unfortuneately, I don't have the option of getting "close enough". Some of these forms are government. It wouldn't be that difficult is I had some of the same tools as in the above mentioned layout programs.

I'd be happier with OS-native GUI widgets, so it looks and acts like any other Mac/Windows application.

You are familiar with the object-size palette, right, and the fact that you can use inch or cm or pixel dimensions, pixels being the easiest to use. Programmatic control would be great but we don't have it.