TRENTON, NJ — Republicans on the New Jersey Assembly Transportation Committee voiced opposition to a bill aimed at increasing the gas tax, introducing a fee on electric vehicles, and reauthorizing the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) for five years. Their opposition is grounded in concerns over road safety, the impact of inflation, financial issues at NJ Transit, and the perceived lack of return on investment from previous transportation funding efforts.
Assemblyman Christopher DePhillips expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of transportation infrastructure and the effectiveness of past investments, emphasizing the need for improved safety standards before supporting the new bill. The proposed legislation (A4011) seeks to raise the TTF’s annual spending on transportation projects from $1.6 billion to $2 billion, with subsequent annual increases, while ensuring equal allocation among local, county, NJ Transit, and state Department of Transportation projects.
Assemblyman Michael Inganamort highlighted the need for a comprehensive audit of NJ Transit in light of proposed fare hikes and a new corporate surcharge introduced by Governor Phil Murphy to address the agency’s budget deficit. Assemblyman Christian Barranco and Assemblyman Rob Clifton also criticized the timing and economic implications of the bill, with Clifton calling for a detailed assessment of the benefits to his district and the state.
Despite the bill’s passage along party lines, DePhillips emphasized the importance of bipartisan collaboration in transportation policymaking and the necessity of evaluating the condition of New Jersey’s roads, bridges, and highways to ensure resident safety.