Senator Jim Holzapfel and Assemblymen Greg McGuckin and John Catalano blasted the Murphy administration after the New Jersey Turnpike Authority approved a $2.6 billion budget that calls for a 3% toll tax increase.
Legislators from the 10th District blasted the Murphy administration after the New Jersey Turnpike Authority approved a $2.6 billion budget that calls for a 3% toll tax increase. (SenateNJ.com)
“Governor Murphy often proclaims that he is a progressive who only taxes the rich, but he’s slamming blue collar workers with regressive toll increases year after year,” said Sen. Holzapfel. “New Jerseyans who use these roads to get to and from work are having more of their hard-earned money stripped away by these unnecessary tax increases. This is all the more reason for the Legislature to pass my bill to reduce the cost of tolls in New Jersey.”
Senator Holzapfel introduced a bipartisan bill, S-376, to reduce the cost of tolls and prohibit the New Jersey Turnpike Authority from implementing automatic toll increases and increasing tolls for three years.
“It is utterly absurd that Governor Murphy remains silent when low- and middle-income families are being decimated by regressive tax increases,” said Asm. McGuckin. “This toll increase is just another tax piled onto the backs of New Jerseyans. If Governor Murphy cares about addressing the affordability crisis unfolding here in New Jersey he can start by putting an end to this ridiculous tax increase.”
The New Jersey Turnpike Authority has increased the price of tolls four times since 2020, costing New Jerseyan’s billions of dollars in the process. The average commuter traveling on the turnpike could spend over an extra thousand dollars a year just to cover the cost of the increased tolls.
“For working families who are already struggling with New Jersey’s affordability crisis, toll increases would only add to the incredible tax burden impacting New Jerseyans,” said Asm. Catalano. “If Democrats in Trenton had worked with Republicans we could have lowered taxes in New Jersey and prevented these regressive toll increases from ever occurring. Governor Murphy should veto this unnecessary increase and work with Republicans to lower the cost of tolls statewide.”