Jersey’s gas taxes are significantly less expensive than the 50.4¢ tax in bordering Pennsylvania, and it’s obviously a huge reason why gas in New Jersey is so cheap: At the moment, N.J.is one of only nine states where a gallon of regular is averaging .10 or less.
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A middle-of-the night deal could soon boost New Jersey’s gas tax from one of the lowest in the nation to one of the highest.
Christie’s executive order was announced shortly before the 11:59 p.m. deadline Thursday for the five-year, $1.6 billion fund to be renewed and after the Senate scrapped any vote on a funding plan.
In April, the transportation commissioner estimated that the state’s trust fund – which finances road, bridge and rail projects – would have about $85 million left by the end of June, and enough to keep construction projects going through the beginning of August. The state Senate is set to vote on the plan Thursday.
“The Senate just doesn’t agree with the Assembly’s bill”, Sweeney said.
The Senate president said Christie’s administration hasn’t revealed which projects would be shut down or exactly how drivers in the state would be affected.
Senate President Joseph Sweeney said in a separate statement Friday that he disagrees with Christie’s move, and is anxious that a lot of people hired on road projects would be laid off over the emergency measure.
The budget will leaves unresolved the state’s transportation trust fund, which runs out of authority for new borrowing on Friday as well.
The state’s gas tax would increase from 14.5 cents per gallon to 37.5 cents per gallon under the plan, while the sales tax would shrink from 7 to 6 percent.
The 23 cent increase approved by the assembly would have sent jolts of sticker shock through gas pumps and wallets all over the state.
New Jersey Policy Perspective said the inaction was a blessing in disguise. This plan is irresponsible and will mean big budget deficits and cuts to important programs that effect New Jersey citizens every day.
Senate President Stephen Sweeney discusses the lack of a vote on a Transportation Trust Fund plan.
Christie accused Spadea of fudging math on the gas tax and being dismissive about the savings residents would see through the sales tax break.
Christie’s vice presidential prospects were confirmed by people with direct knowledge of the vetting process who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
To offset the impact, the bill would have cut the state sales tax from seven percent to six, but that reduction would have been gradually phased in.
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Christie says it’s the first broad-based tax cut for all New Jerseyans since 1994. The Volunteer State has been collecting the same 20 cents in tax per gallon of gas since July 1, 1989-a few months prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall.
