Toll and Tax Scare  … and the Upcoming Budget Season
Posted February 5, 2010

New Jersey motorists had a scare recently. It wasn't an auto collision, or a weather-related catastrophe, or even a new construction project that jammed up rush hour.

No, it was a recommendation by Governor Chris Christie's transition team that the state look into "limited tolling of select interstate highways to pay for improvements to those highways." In other words, a recommendation that non-toll roads become toll roads in New Jersey.

According to the Asbury Park Press, "Transportation experts said the most likely candidates for tolling would be east-west interstates I-78, I-80 and I-195, along with other high-volume highways such as I-287 and I-295."

Beyond this, the report from the transition team suggested letting New Jersey voters choose whether or not to up the state's gas tax (we're pretty sure voters would select "not"!).

Were it not serious, such a recommendation would almost be laughable, given the vigor with which New Jersey voters opposed a similar proposal by former Governor Jon Corzine. You'll recall Corzine's attempt to hike tolls fell flat.

Fortunately, the transition team's recommendations have done the same. Speaking this week at a news conference, Governor Christie said he would not accept the toll and tax recommendations.

NJ.com reports the governor's wish to give his transition team "wide latitude" in considering options but notes his response to the recommendations:  "I don't favor tolls on roads where we don't currently have them, and I do not favor and will not sign an increase in the gas tax. When people are struggling -- that is not the time to raise taxes and fees."

We applaud Governor Christie's refusal to accept his team's recommendations. At the same time, we hope his opposition to new tolls and higher taxes continues even when people are no longer struggling economically.

Of course, Christie's refusal to cave to the toll and tax temptation means solving this year's budget problems will be that much more difficult in the short term. The latest numbers now place the budget deficit for next year at over $11 billion and the current budget gap at over $1 billion.

According to a new Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey Poll, however, not all spending cuts would be met with applause. The press release on the poll notes:

With a yawning gap in the state budget, the only way property taxes will come down is through cuts to government spending,  especially in the area of education, which is the prime driver of property taxes.  And here, the poll gives Governor Christie a major caveat.  While 51% of Garden State residents would be very upset with the governor if he doesn't reduce state spending during his term, even more – 62% – would be very upset if school funding was cut. …

The poll also found that 54% of New Jerseyans would be very upset if programs for the poor

were cut and 42% would be very upset if environmental regulations were relaxed.

The Monmouth University Polling Institute notes that at the end of the day,  however,  New Jerseyans want results:

The most important issue for voters during last year's gubernatorial campaign was taxes,

especially property taxes.  New Jerseyans continue to see this as a defining issue by which they will judge the success of a Christie administration.

The next several months of budgeting are bound to bring recommendations from all sides. Some proposals will be good; some will not be.  As Governor Christie rejected the recommendation to hike tolls and taxes on New Jerseyans, we urge him to reject any similar attempts that may come down the pike to impose additional burdens on overtaxed New Jerseyans. 

Spending cuts may be painful and unpopular, but they are also necessary to solve the fiscal crisis that has held New Jersey taxpayers hostage for far too long.

Archive