MONTCLAIR, NJ – Democrat candidate for governor Mikie Sherrill says fixing New Jersey Transit will take more than fare hikes and budget patches — it will require a new financial model that captures the value of development around the state’s train stations.
One of those new ideas she has is for the government to own land around New Jersey train stations, allowing it to control all the rents, housing, marketing, and advertising around those stations. Sherrill suggested that this is how many socialist governments in Europe do it.
“You don’t just run the train — you [the government] own the property around the stations,” she explained. “That gives you money that you put back into the system because it’s a huge economic boon if your town has a train station.” -Mikie Sherrill
Sherrill did not lay out a plan regarding how she would take that land. In recent months Democrats across New Jersey have used the threat of eminent domain, including a Central Jersey farm and even President Trump’s Bedminster golf course.
Speaking about the future of public transportation, Sherrill argued that the system needs a dedicated funding source and broader control of property connected to rail infrastructure.
“Transportation systems across the country and across the world do not run on fares,” she said, noting that relying on ticket prices alone can’t sustain or modernize the network.
Instead, Sherrill pointed to transit-oriented development, advertising, and leasing land around train stations as proven ways to generate long-term revenue.
“You don’t just run the train — you own the property around the stations,” she explained. “That gives you money that you put back into the system because it’s a huge economic boon if your town has a train station.”
Communities like Montclair, Chatham, Madison, and Morristown—all within Sherrill’s district—grew historically along rail lines, she noted, adding that it’s time to “remap” how the state invests in public transportation and reduces highway congestion.
It’s time for the government to own the land around all of the stations, she said, redirecting the financial benefits of those stations from small business owners and municipalities, putting that money and control into the state coffers.
