Murphy's temporary election season veto on toll hike not enough, lawmakers want toll cuts
Garden State Parkway Toll Plaza - File Photo by Cheryl Fleishman

Murphy’s Temporary Election Season Veto on Toll Hike Not Enough, Lawmakers Want Toll Cuts

Posted by
1 min read
October 27, 2023

TRENTON, NJ – District 10 Legislators Senator Jim Holzapfel and Assemblymen Greg McGuckin and John Catalano have called on Governor Phil Murphy to commit unequivocally to lowering toll costs, following the Governor’s recent veto of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority’s proposed toll increases.

In a joint statement, the legislators criticized the timing of Murphy’s veto as “political,” pointing out that he took no action to prevent the last three toll increases. The legislators expressed skepticism that the veto is not a temporary measure intended to delay toll hikes until after the forthcoming election.

Governor Murphy cited a need for “more information for why the board is taking this step” as his reason for vetoing the NJTA budget, which had been approved earlier in the week.

Senator Holzapfel has sponsored legislation, S-376, that aims to lower the cost of New Jersey’s tolls and freeze automatic toll increases for a period of three years. The legislators vowed to continue fighting for legislation that lowers commuting costs for New Jersey families.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Don't Miss