Senate Republican Leader Thomas Kean recently filed a request for information, under the Open Public Records Act, with the New Jersey Turnpike Authority asking for documents related to the proposed toll increase plan. The request asks for documents in multiple areas of interest that the administration has yet to provide.
“My counterpart in the General Assembly, Alex DeCroce, and I took the unusual step of filing this OPRA request to ensure that the people and their representatives have all available information regarding the Governor’s proposal to exponentially increase tolls,” Kean stated.
1. Any studies or estimates that show the extent to which tolls need to be raised, to meet current bond covenants;
2. Any studies or estimates that show the extent to which tolls need to be raised to pay for the State’s share of the ARC project;
3. Any studies or estimates that show the extent to which tolls need to be raised to pay for needs other than 1 and 2 above;
4. Any studies that show the extent of traffic diversions because of the toll increases being proposed;
5. Any and all legal opinions that suggest it is lawful to increase tolls on the Turnpike and Garden State Parkway to pay the State share of a mass transit project despite language in the authorizing law which states tolls may only be used for non-highway projects on an interim basis and any other legal opinions provided by the Attorney General or various vendors;
6. Estimates showing the annual amount of additional revenue that will be generated because of the proposed toll increases;
7. Estimates showing the actual annual cash needs associated with 1, 2, and 3 above;
8. A list of all legal professionals, engineers, and other professionals and consultants who have helped develop the toll proposal above;
9. Cost estimates for each of the other projects to be paid for pursuant to 3 above;
10. All communications between anyone in the Governor’s Office and Turnpike Authority pertaining to the development of the proposal to raise tolls under consideration by the Turnpike Authority;
11. Any documents that indicate funds derived from toll increases would be used to pay any subsidy to NJ Transit for any cost other than the cost of construction of a new rail tunnel;
12. Any financing models or projections of debt issuances and debt service for projects supported by increases in tolls and any justification or documents explaining the need for toll increases in 2023; and
13. A copy of the resolution adopted at the NJTA public session on September 9, 2008 (173-08) - Authorization to Conduct Public Hearings in Connection with a Proposed Toll Adjustment for the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway.
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September 29, 2008
