Senator Andy Ciesla and Assemblymen Dave Wolfe and Jim Holzapfel, legislators representing the 10th District, responded to reports that the Turnpike Authority has scheduled a fourth public hearing to discuss proposed toll hikes on the Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike.
Following the conclusion of three planned public hearings on the proposed toll hikes, the Turnpike Authority has announced that it will hold a fourth hearing at its headquarters in Woodbridge at 9 AM on October 10.
The Turnpike Authority was widely criticized for holding all three of the originally planned public hearings within a 24-hour period, with two of the meetings held during working hours in Paramus and Woodbridge and one hearing held near Camden at night.
“While we are grateful that the Turnpike Authority has scheduled an additional hearing, we are disappointed that hearings in Monmouth and Ocean counties are not on the agenda,” said Ciesla. “Since commuters from the Shore Area pay the most in tolls, the Turnpike Authority should provide local hearings at convenient times to allow those who will be most impacted by toll increases to voice their opinions.”
According to a September 7th article in the Asbury Park Press, commuters in Ocean and Monmouth counties generate the most E-ZPass revenue on the Garden State Parkway. Residents of Toms River and Brick who commute daily to work are in the top three of the ten ZIP codes which pay the most E-ZPass revenue.
“In this unstable economy, with soaring gas prices and limited local transportation options for Shore commuters, raising tolls will have a disastrous effect, ” said Assemblyman Jim Holzapfel. “Our residents already pay the most in tolls, and they deserve an opportunity to speak out on this issue,” said Holzapfel.
The current proposal would have drivers on the Garden State Parkway pay a toll increase of 143 percent by 2023, along with a 150 percent toll increase for those taking the New Jersey Turnpike.
Governor Corzine’s previous proposal to increase tolls by 800 percent on the Parkway and Turnpike was met with massive public outrage from infuriated commuters and legislators across the state. Due to that outrage, the Governor was forced to scrap his initial plan.
“The Turnpike Authority seems to be preventing the public from having input in this critical issue,” said Wolfe. “It seems as though the hearing schedule is designed to avoid the negative responses of commuters, which clearly sunk Governor Corzine’s first toll hike plan.”
Link to Post:
Similar Posts:
- Connors, Rumpf & Van Pelt: Toll Hike Hearing Schedule Obvious Attempt to Exclude Shore Area Residents
September 10, 2008 - Beck, Casagrande, and O’Scanlon Say Corzine Plan to Nearly Triple Tolls is Misguided
September 5, 2008 - Lance: Codey & Roberts Must Hold Hearings on Toll Hikes
September 9, 2008 - Haines to Corzine: Great About New York Toll Plan! Now About the Turnpike…
April 4, 2008 - Bateman: Toll Hearing Schedule Disrespectful To Commuters
September 24, 2008
