Bill Text: NJ AR152 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges Governor to reject toll increases proposed by NJTA.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-04-13 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee [AR152 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-AR152-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman RONALD S. DANCER
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Urges Governor to reject toll increases proposed by NJTA.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution urging the Governor of New Jersey to reject the toll increase proposed by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
Whereas, The Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike serve as vital connections throughout the State of New Jersey; and
Whereas, The New Jersey Turnpike Authority has the power to establish tolls for the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike to be used for the maintenance and construction of those roadways; and
Whereas, The New Jersey Turnpike Authority has proposed a toll increase affecting both the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike; and
Whereas, An increase in tolls will negatively affect the State's businesses and tourism industry who rely heavily on these roadways to move customers to their places of business; and
Whereas, New Jersey residents will feel the financial burden of any toll increase not just on the roads, but also as consumer prices go up in order to meet the demands on a shipping industry that is also paying more to bring goods and services to the State; and
Whereas, New Jersey residents already contribute millions of dollars to the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike through the toll system and existing toll fares; and
Whereas, An increase in tolls will lead to congestion of already overburdened local roads as drivers attempt to avoid the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike; and
Whereas, On March 4, 2020 the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders passed a resolution urging the Governor and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority to reconsider any plan that increases tolls on the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike; and
Whereas, A rejection of the proposed toll increase would best serve both residents of the State and out-of-state drivers by keeping local roads clear of excessive traffic, maintaining lower prices of goods, services and shipment costs and keeping the State's evacuation routes easily traversable; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House urges the
Governor of New Jersey to reject the toll increases proposed by the New Jersey
Turnpike Authority.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the Office of the Governor of New Jersey.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges the Governor of New Jersey to reject the toll increase proposed by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
Commuters rely on both the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike to travel throughout the State. These commuters include both residents of New Jersey and out-of-state tourists. The proposed toll increase would harm daily commutes and tourist travel and would, both directly and indirectly, cause harm to the State's businesses and tourism industry by dissuading travel within and throughout the State. Directly, a toll increase would cause an ever-increasing number of drivers to choose local roads over the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike, leading to further traffic congestion. Indirectly, a toll increase would serve to raise prices of services and goods within the State to meet the demands on a shipping industry that is must now pay more to bring goods and services into the State. Finally, residents of the State have already, and continue to, contribute greatly to both the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway through the existing tolls that they pay to travel on these roads.
As resolved by the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Governor should reject the proposed toll increases. The Governor's response to COVID-19 pandemic, specifically the Health Emergency and a Stay at Home Executive Order, has created a situation where the holding of public hearings has been greatly limited, thus impeding the ability of New Jersey residents to adequately review and respond to the proposed toll increases and thereby failing to encouraging public input and participation. The Governor's rejection would serve the people of the State by keeping local roads clear of congestion, keeping prices of goods and services low, maintaining shipment costs low and keeping the State's evacuation routes easily traversable by residents and out-of-state drivers.
