Republican Leader Urges Governor Corzine to Accept the Challenge as Well in the Spirit of ‘Open Public Dialogue’
In a Sept. 11 editorial, the Gloucester County Times challenged Republican Senate Leader Tom Kean to a debate with Governor Jon Corzine on the proposed Democratic plan to dramatically hike tolls on the Turnpike, Garden State Parkway and Atlantic City Expressway.
“I accept the Gloucester County Times’ public-spirited challenge, and congratulate them for making it on behalf of their readers. I urge to the governor to accept as well,” Kean said. “I am willing to debate this issue with him at any time. The public needs to hear all sides of this issue, not just the Democratic spin.”
The governor plans to nearly triple tolls at a time of soaring gasoline prices and higher costs for every basic necessity. Senator Tom Kean and his fellow Republicans want to take money from overfunded and obviously wasteful programs and use it to prevent steep toll increases and fund many other state transportation projects through 2014, without further increases in fees, taxes or tolls.
Incredibly, the governor won’t even discuss the Republican plan.
“His public comments about the Republican plan are disingenuous and boldly inaccurate. It’s obvious Governor Corzine thinks no one will hold him accountable for making them,” Kean said.
“A debate would force the governor to answer why he insists in the face of all logic that there is no money for transportation needs when this state’s residents bear the highest tax burdens in the nation, and pay billions of dollars in transportation fees and tolls.
“In his initial plan for an 800% toll increase, Corzine called for ‘open, honest, public dialogue.’ It’s only fair that Toll Hike Plan 2 be subject to the same scrutiny.”
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- Kean Opposes Corzine Proposal to Nearly Triple Turnpike and Parkway Tolls
September 5, 2008 - Ciesla: Trenton Democrats Trying to Avoid an Honest Toll Debate, Not Have One
September 18, 2008 - Reminder From Senator Tom Kean: Republicans Have a No-Toll, No-Tax Transportation Plan
September 4, 2008 - Kean and DeCroce: Corzine Needs to Say If He Will Hike Tolls for Tunnel Cost Overruns
November 12, 2008 - Beck, Casagrande, and O’Scanlon Say Corzine Plan to Nearly Triple Tolls is Misguided
September 5, 2008
