Here we go again

Get ready for toll increases and an increase in the state gas tax. Unless Corzine is stopped, they will be coming to the pump and your EZ-Pass statement right after the election.

The state government has an October 1 deadline to come up with its share of funding for a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River. Republicans proposed $500 million in transportation funding in the recently passed budget. This, and all of their budget proposals were ignored by the Democrats who control the government. Now Republicans are calling for a summer legislative session to work on transportation funding. Again they are ignored by the Democrats.

Governor Corzine told the Associated Press that he is working on it over the summer. "We're collecting a lot of good ideas that are being generated by folks that know that we have to come to grips with the need to invest in our infrastructure," Corzine said.

The legislature is not likely to convene again until the second week in September, leaving them three weeks at best to analyze, debate and hear from the public about what ever Corzine proposes, assuming he proposes a transportation funding package on their first day back. At this time, the public's attention will be on the presidential election rather than what is happening in Trenton. The legislature will be faced with approving Corzine's plan before it is vetted, or risk losing $1 billion in federal funding.

This is exactly how Corzine presented is new school funding plan in December. He held off all details until the lame duck session and released the package over the holidays when no one was paying attention. He increased education by over $500 million dollars and created state mandated pre-school, all with very little debate or public input.

Corzine has learned that the public does not like his spending proposals. We defeated his prized stem cell research bond measure at the polls last November. We came out in droves to oppose his Asset Monetization scheme with 800% toll increases. So now he holds back and then pushes in huge pet projects through when no one is looking and when there is no time to offer alternatives.

Republicans should still work over the summer while the Democrats are working on their tans. They should come to the fall legislative session with their own plan for transportation funding. Dick Zimmer should champion their plan and turn the U.S. Senate election into a referendum on Corzine's tax, borrow and spending ways.