Posted on

NJ to Hike Gas Tax 9.3 Cents Per Gallon

self serve gas

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ,  After a thorough review of fuel consumption statistics and consultation with the Legislative Budget and Finance Officer, the Department of the Treasury announced on Friday that lower fuel consumption trends, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, will necessitate a gas tax increase of 9.3 cents per gallon in order to ensure compliance with the 2016 law that requires a steady stream of revenue to support the state’s Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) program.

In 2019 the Reason Foundation confirmed what New Jersey drivers may have had a hunch,the state has some of the worst road conditions in America ranking dead last in a new report on the country’s highway system.According to the annual highway report, released by the Reason Foundation, New Jersey has the worst urban traffic congestion in the U.S.

Continue reading NJ to Hike Gas Tax 9.3 Cents Per Gallon

Posted on

NO Increase for NJ Gas Tax Rate for Coming Year

gas station bike

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, State Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio announced today that New Jersey’s current tax rate on gasoline and diesel fuel will remain stable for the coming year at 41.4 cents and 48.4 cents per gallon, respectively.

As required by law, the Department of the Treasury conducted a detailed review of fuel consumption data, and the Treasurer consulted with the Legislative Budget and Finance Officer, in order to make this year’s determination in compliance with the 2016 law (Chapter 57) that requires a steady stream of revenue to support the state’s Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) program.

Continue reading NO Increase for NJ Gas Tax Rate for Coming Year
Posted on

$11.3B Gateway Tunnel Plan New York and New Jersey each to pay 50%

Ridgewood_Train_station_train _is_coming_theridgewoodblog

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) today endorsed the submission of a new $11.3 billion Gateway Tunnel plan that for the first time does not rely on tolls on NJ Transit trains to pay for construction costs.

“We made it clear during negotiations over the new Gateway Commission bill that it was the bipartisan intent of the New Jersey Legislature that the new tunnels not be financed out of NJ Transit’s operating budget or on the backs of NJ Transit riders,” Senator Weinberg said. “We are pleased that that the Governors and the current Gateway Commission heard us loud and clear, and that this year’s application for federal funding – unlike past years – does not call for tolls on NJ Transit trains to pay for construction.”

Continue reading $11.3B Gateway Tunnel Plan New York and New Jersey each to pay 50%
Posted on

New Jersey Now Collects More Revenue Per Capita from Drivers than Any Other State

5817afeec5067.image1

the staff of the Ridgewood bog

Trenton NJ, according to Steven Malanga is the senior editor of City Journal, Federal Highway Administration data on revenues that the states have available for spending on roads, bridges, and mass transit New  Jersey collected the seventh-highest transportation revenues of any state, even before it raised its gas tax and every state that spent more was considerably larger.

Continue reading New Jersey Now Collects More Revenue Per Capita from Drivers than Any Other State

Posted on

New Jersey Gas Taxes Set to Raise October 1st

5817afeec5067.image1

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ as expected ,the price of gasoline is set to increase further in New Jersey. The state Treasury Department announced Thursday that starting Oct. 1 the New Jersey gas tax will increase by 4.3 cents per gallon. The department claims  that lower fuel consumption levels over the past two years necessitated the price increase “in order to ensure compliance with the 2016 law that requires a steady stream of revenue to support the state’s Transportation Trust Fund program.” As more people flee the state , and gas prices raise it seems certain that consumption will further decrease .

Continue reading New Jersey Gas Taxes Set to Raise October 1st

Posted on

NJ Transit adoptes a $2.32 billion operating budget and a $1.46 billion capital program for FY 2019

bike_at_rtrainstation_theridgewoodblog

August 11,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ,  The NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors today adopted a Fiscal Year 2019 (FY 2019) operating budget and capital program that supports continued investments in personnel, infrastructure and equipment to maintain the system in a state-of-good repair, and enhance the overall customer experience.

“These budgets are the result of the firm commitment from Governor Murphy to investing in and improving public transportation and infrastructure,” said New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors Chairperson Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti.

The Board adopted a $2.32 billion operating budget and a $1.46 billion capital program for FY 2019. Continue reading NJ Transit adoptes a $2.32 billion operating budget and a $1.46 billion capital program for FY 2019

Posted on

District 39 Legislators Announce $1.3 Million in Grants for Local Bridge Reconstruction Projects

roadwork

August 2,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Senator Gerry Cardinale and Assemblyman Robert Auth (both R-39) announced that Montvale Borough and Mahwah Township will receive $1.3 million in “Local Bridge, Future Needs” grants from the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) to undertake bridge reconstruction projects in the two municipalities.

Sen. Gerry Cardinale and Asm. Robert Auth announced that Montvale and Mahwah will receive $1.3 million in grants to undertake bridge reconstruction projects. (Wikimedia Commons)
“New Jersey must continue to make sound investments in our transportation infrastructure,” Sen. Gerry Cardinale said. “Families and commuters rely heavily on well-maintained bridges. Bridges and roads in Mahwah and Montvale, for example, are in desperate need of repairs. I am relieved to see that these communities will receive $1.3 million in grants, so that they can complete construction without burdening taxpayers.”

The Local Bridges, Future Needs grant program (LBFN) is funded through the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF), and will provided more than $47 million in funding to New Jersey’s 21 counties for county bridge improvement projects, including reconstruction plans in Montvale Borough and Mahwah Township.
The 2018 LBFN grants were based on a NJDOT formula that took into account the total bridge deck area in each county, as well as the portion of bridge infrastructure within each county that was rated in poor condition.
The projects funded in Legislative District 39, which encompasses parts of Bergen and Passaic Counties, include:
• Repairing the Ramapo Valley Road Culvert: $800,000
• Repairing the Magnolia Avebye Bridge: $500,000
“Investing in our public infrastructure, including our bridges, helps our local economy thrive,” Asm. Robert Auth said. “The $1.3 million in grants for projects in Montvale and Mahwah will keep our local roads safe, well-maintained, accessible for all of the residents, commuters, and hardworking business owners who use this infrastructure every day.”

Posted on

New Jersey Drivers Pay the Bulk Road Infrastructure Costs though taxes and tolls

Route_17_Glen062_theridgewoodblog

file photo by Boyd Loving

July 26,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, according to the Tax Foundation Gas taxes are typically used to fund infrastructure maintenance and new projects, but the share of state and local road spending that is covered by tolls, user fees, and taxes varies drastically. It ranges from only 12 percent in Alaska to 76.3 percent in Hawaii.

New Jersey drivers pay the fifth-highest share of the cost to fund roads and bridges, with motorists kicking in 67 percent of the price tag through taxes and tolls, according to the Tax Foundation Study .

New Jersey only ranks behind Hawaii, Delaware, New York and Florida of states where local revenues pay a majority of road costs.

While the study did conclude that , “States should attempt to fund infrastructure through user taxes and fees as much as possible, internalizing the costs associated with using the state’s transportation systems” . Its once again disappointing yet expected that New Jersey continues to lead the nation in all the wrong things .

Posted on

PLANNING FOR HUDSON-BERGEN LIGHT RAIL BACK ON TRACK, DRIVEN BY REVITALIZED TTF

gas station bike

JOHN REITMEYER | APRIL 25, 2017

Funds available to take extension project through environmental-impact study, but money from Trump administration now appears iffy

A renewed state Transportation Trust Fund has reignited the planning process for the proposed light rail in eastern Bergen County, a $1.3 billion project that local officials say will ease traffic congestion and stimulate economic growth.

After a long period of delay, last month officials from New Jersey Transit released a draft of the latest revised plan for the proposed 10-mile extension of the Hudson-Bergen Line, which now ends in North Bergen. NJ Transit is in the midst of a 60-day public comment period on the latest plans, which would take the line up to Englewood, where two public hearings were held yesterday.

 

https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/17/04/24/planning-for-hudson-bergen-light-rail-back-on-track-driven-by-revitalized-ttf/?utm_campaign=new-jersey-politics&utm_content=2017-26-04-9472992&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=New%20Jersey%20Politics

Posted on

Lawmakers seek changes to TTF program, including transparency rollback

Senate President Sweeney_theridgewoodblog

By RYAN HUTCHINS

03/14/17 05:32 AM EDT

TRENTON — Democratic lawmakers in the Statehouse are considering major changes to New Jersey’s infrastructure spending program but are being met with resistance from their Republican colleagues.

The complex, 21-page bill (S3075) would enact broad amendments to the law passed last year authorizing the state’s Transportation Trust Fund to spend $2 billion per year on road, bridge and transit projects.

The new measure, sponsored by Senate President Stephen Sweeney, would strip a key transparency requirement, delay the creation of a panel to review the proposals and create a new system by which counties and towns could take over stalled projects. It would also allow the state to “bundle” several related projects, potentially speeding up environmental reviews and engineering work.

Introduced a week ago, the bill was quickly ushered through committee and was scheduled for a vote in the state Senate Monday, but never went on the board. Sweeney said he did not have enough support to call a vote without first sending the bill though a second reading. Such a predicament suggests fairly significant Republican opposition.

https://www.politico.com/states/new-jersey/story/2017/03/lawmakers-seek-changes-to-ttf-program-including-transparency-rollbacks-110344

Posted on

There was a lot of money behind last year’s push to raise N.J.’s gas tax

gas tax nj

By Samantha Marcus | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on March 02, 2017 at 7:02 PM, updated March 02, 2017 at 7:57 PM

TRENTON — One of the state’s leading proponents in last year’s fight to raise the gas tax for the Transportation Trust Fund spent nearly $4.4 million lobbying last year, according to an Election Law Enforcement Commission analysis.

The Engineers Labor Employer Cooperative more than quadrupled its spending over 2015, making it the highest-spending special interest organization in 2016.

Total lobbying in the state last year reached $68.3 million, a slight drop from the year prior, but still one of the most expensive years on record, the commission said.

The engineers cooperative, embarked on an ad campaign pushing both the 23 cent gasoline tax hike and a constitutional amendment dedicating all tax revenues to the Transportation Trust Fund, beat out even the deep pockets of the New Jersey Education Association, the state’s prominent teachers union.

https://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/03/nj_groups_spent_5m_to_promote_gas_tax_hike_last_ye.html#incart_2box_nj-homepage-featured

Posted on

New Jersey Must Invest Heavily in Water Infrastructure

water main break Ridgewood

file photo by Boyd Loving

The underground infrastructure carrying water, sewerage, gas and electricity is essential to the lives of every business and person in the state, yet it is in a horrendous state of disrepair. As the owner of a real estate firm that secures underground easements for some of the state’s largest utility companies, I can say with confidence that our underground infrastructure is at a breaking point. If we do not invest in upgrading our underground infrastructure, it will only be a short matter of time before a critical infrastructure failure leads to a public health and safety crisis.

As an example, water suppliers estimate that New Jersey loses 33 percent of drinking water each year just through old, leaking underground pipes. This is enough clean water to fill several reservoirs. However, the few times that our underground infrastructure receives any media attention is during “large-scale” catastrophes, such as when a water main bursts, a blackout occurs, a gas pipeline explodes — or worse, we find dangerous levels of lead in our water supply.

If we do not act on improving our water infrastructure, we risk a lead-water crisis similar to that experienced by the businesses and residents of Flint, Michigan. Only after public outcry and national media attention, the U.S. Congress approved emergency infrastructure funds totaling $170 million in September 2016 to begin critical work on Flint’s lead-contaminated water delivery system. Similarly, New Jersey has water infrastructure the same age or older than Flint. We must find the means to fix New Jersey’s aging water systems before they degenerate from bad to worse.

The cost of repairs is enormous, but the cost of inaction is far greater. According to the Water Research Foundation, funding water and wastewater upgrades around the country could cost $650 billion over the next 20 years. However, as these small- and large-scale problems become more commonplace it is incumbent on our state’s elected officials and decision makers to work with our utility providers and begin crafting comprehensive plans to fix New Jersey’s hidden infrastructure. Smart infrastructure improvements now will benefit ratepayers, create jobs and generate greater investment in our state from the business community.

The New Jersey Utilities Association noted that over the past five years, six companies have spent nearly $2 billion on water delivery system upgrades. This is a good start as these infrastructure investments already have created thousands of new jobs and pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into New Jersey’s economy, all while improving utility delivery to end users.

Now the Joint Legislative Task Force on Drinking Water is diving head first into ways we can address our drinking water issues. With the Legislature and governor coming together with the business and labor community to support an increase in the gas tax that ultimately put the state’s Transportation Trust Fund on solid financial footing, I believe that the timing is right for our residents, business leaders, labor unions, and elected officials from the governor down to local mayors and council members to join together and work on a comprehensive plan to revitalize our water utility infrastructure.

The time to invest is now. Our public health and welfare depends on it.

Stacie Curtis
Founder and President
CW Solutions

Posted on

SHOCK : Some N.J. Republicans think revenue from gas tax increase should only pay for roads

garber_square_roadwork_theridgewoodblog

file photo by Boyd Loving

By MATT FRIEDMAN

01/19/17 05:39 AM EST

Some Republicans who opposed the deal to replenish the Transportation Trust Fund have a rallying cry after losing that fight: The new money should only be spent on roads.

Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, kicking off her campaign for governor on Tuesday, implied as much in her speech. She criticized the new $16 billion deal, which includes $12 billion in borrowing over eight years and a 23-cent per gallon increase in the gas tax, saying the state “cannot afford to borrow billions of dollars to build a new rail line when our roads and our bridges are crumbling.”

https://www.politico.com/states/new-jersey/story/2017/01/some-nj-republicans-think-gas-tax-increase-should-only-pay-for-roads-108832?utm_campaign=Observer_NJ_Politics&utm_content=New%20Campaign&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=New%20Jersey%20Politics

Posted on

Bateman Launches Effort to Repeal the Gas Tax Increase

Senator Senator Kip Bateman

Legislation Would Roll Back Recently Enacted 23 Cent/Gallon Gas Tax Hike

October 15,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood

Ridgewood NJ, Senator Senator Kip Bateman (R-Somerset, Middlesex, Mercer, Hunterdon) will introduce legislation to repeal the 23 cent per gallon gas tax increase that was signed into law by Governor Chris Christie.

Sen. Kip Bateman announced legislation and a new online petition to repeal the 23 cent/gallon gas tax increase that was recently enacted. (SenateNJ.com)

Bateman, who opposed and voted against the gas tax increase, also announced the launch of a new online petition to give drivers and commuters impacted by the gas tax the opportunity to have their voices heard.

“While the Governor and the Democrat-led Legislature didn’t listen to the tens of thousands of New Jerseyans who spoke out against raising the gas tax, I listened and understand their concerns,” said Bateman. “The overtaxed people of New Jersey have demanded that we find another way to fund our transportation needs without taking more out of their pockets. This repeal effort is recognition that there are fiscally responsible alternatives to the gas tax.”

The legislation to repeal the gas tax increase will be introduced when the Senate next meets.

“I’ve heard from so many commuters who struggle financially every time the price of gas rises, and they’re pleading for help to save them from the gas tax increase,” added Bateman. “Lawmakers have a responsibility to not harm already struggling residents through our state’s tax policy, and that’s what this effort to repeal the gas tax increase is all about. I encourage everyone to sign and share the online petition to help get the repeal movement rolling.”

Bateman’s new petition to support the repeal of the gas tax increase can be signed at senatenj.com/gastaxrepeal.

Posted on

DESPITE TTF DEAL, IT’S STILL UNCLEAR WHEN ROADWORK WILL RESUME IN NEW JERSEY

garber_square_roadwork_theridgewoodblog

file photo by Boyd Loving
JOHN REITMEYER | OCTOBER 4, 2016

Christie’s executive order idled some 3,000 construction workers during the warm weather. Can it be lifted in time to make a dent in outstanding projects?

With the political impasse over transportation funding that has gripped Trenton for the past three months now settled, New Jersey lawmakers are scheduled to vote tomorrow on the legislation that will hike the state’s gas tax by 23 cents. The proposed increase already has Gov. Chris Christie’s endorsement and is expected to pass with bipartisan support.

But still uncertain is exactly when Christie will be willing to lift a hold on state-funded road, bridge, and rail projects that’s been in effect since July and how much that shutdown, which sidelined an estimated 3,000 construction workers, has impacted New Jersey’s economy and its residents. In some places, local officials simply ignored the construction freeze since the state money had already been promised, but others were concerned about possible fines and are now anxious to see the road crews return to work.

Christie, a Republican, announced on Friday that he is ready to sign off on the gas-tax increase needed to renew the state Transportation Trust Fund since Democrats who control the Legislature say they will authorize more than $1 billion in new tax cuts. If approved and signed into law this week, the gas tax increase isn’t expected to go into effect immediately, but officials say it would likely be in place by the beginning of November at the latest.

Still, the construction freeze remains in effect and Christie’s office offered no clear idea yesterday of when it will be rescinded.

https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/16/10/03/despite-ttf-deal-it-s-still-unclear-when-roadwork-will-resume-in-new-jersey/?utm_campaign=Observer_NJ_Politics&utm_content=New%20Campaign&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=New%20Jersey%20Politics