WNBC's Brian Thompson reports that:
Tolls would go up as much as 75 percent in the year 2010, and then 75 percent more on an "every four year" schedule after that. In addition, any inflation would be factored into those increases.
The bottom line, a trip from Bergen County to Newark Airport that now costs $1.70 would be at least $5.20 by the year 2014. A 70-cent toll on the Parkway would be $2.13 that same year.
The governor is working on a new public authority that would use the toll money to float billions in low interest bonds to ease New Jersey's fiscal crisis, but the turnpike and parkways would not be sold or leased, as has happened in some other states.
Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts said that while he wants to see details, he is initially supportive and challenges critics "to look honestly at this idea and if you don't like this, tell me what your idea is."
Here's my idea Joe, and I got it from you. Shut down the government. Try it for a month. Really. Do it smarter than you did it last time. In addition to all essential functions like state police, leave the revenue generating parts of the government open. Atlantic City should operate as should the Motor Vehicle Commission offices and inspection stations. Keep parks and beaches open, but charge user fees. Shut down everything else and lay off the workers. Unlike the last time you shut the government down, don't pay them for their time off.
The savings would put a big dent in the deficit. During this month we could evaluate what we really need and what should be permanently cut from the state budget.
State government has grown 50% since 2001. Let's scale it back by 25% before we go borrowing billions and raising tolls and taxes.
Blue Jersey founder Juan Melli's comments are right on the mark:
"For starteres, we should begin with the assumption that whatever the plan is, future legislators will try to borrow and spend their way back into the same mess we're in right now. Given past performance, it would be naïvely irresponsible to assume otherwise. In his speech last week, Corzine indicated that he's aware of that possibility. That's encouraging. Unless we can ensure legislatively that any gains from this plan can't be squandered away, moving forward with monetization will just speed up the process of putting us further into debt."
Whether you're blue, red, purple, pink or green, we need to stop this insanity.
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2 comments:
I say let them go ahead full steam if you must.. raise every toll not 75% but 100% and 100% for every year after that and in 5 years lets see who still standing ,lets see who's still here .You want bold moves ?don't do it piecemeal Jon like the 1% sales tax or 30 buck death fee go all out ,lets get this bankruptcy going ,so we can get on with our lives ,don't throw us bones lets just nuke the taxpayers Jon
You're the one who need to read more carefully. The Bennett line is mine.
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