Senator Jennifer Beck (R-11) and Senator Mike Doherty (R-23) were joined by small business and taxpayer advocates in opposition of a proposed billion dollar gas tax increase at a State House press conference. Senator Gerald Cardinale (R-39) offered a statement opposing the gas tax increase as well.

Sen. Jennifer Beck and Sen. Mike Doherty held a press conference to oppose a gas tax increase proposal at the New Jersey State House on June 15, 2016. (SenateNJ.com)

Beck has introduced a plan to fund the state’s Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) without a gas tax increase, and has hosted rallies in Tinton Falls and Freehold with concerned citizens who oppose raising the gas tax.

“We’re standing up for the citizens of New Jersey to oppose a billion dollar gas tax increase,” said Beck. “I’ve provided a detailed plan that shows there’s a real alternative to raising taxes. The thousands of people who signed our online petition and those who joined me at our rallies deserve for my legislation to be considered. Raising taxes shouldn’t be the only option that’s put up for a vote.”

Doherty has long-called for a study to examine excessive state transportation costs as the starting point of any transportation funding discussion. He is the sponsor of S-1888, which would create the “State Transportation Cost Analysis Task Force.”

“Advocates for a 23 cent per gallon gas tax increase have never explained why we need $2 billion annually for transportation spending,” said Doherty. “They’ve never seriously addressed the Reason Foundation report that shows we spend the most per mile in the nation or the disparity in spending figures cited by others. Before we ask drivers and taxpayers for even a penny more for our roads, I believe the state has an obligation to prove that the taxes and tolls already collected are spent wisely.”

Beck and Doherty were joined by Laurie Ehlbeck, State Director for NFIB, and Erica Jedynak, State Director for Americans for Prosperity. They expressed concern for the negative impact that a gas tax increase would have on jobs and small businesses, and the additional burden that would be placed on taxpayers.

Although he was unable to attend the event, Senator Cardinale submitted comments opposed to increasing the gas tax.

“I am unalterably opposed to the gas tax increase. The Transportation Trust Fund is an idea that had great promise but has turned out to be a boondoggle. We now have a great deal of debt and still plenty of infrastructure problems,” said Cardinale. “We should not repeat the mistakes from the past, we should appropriate our infrastructure needs from the general fund and use the existing gas tax to pay down the Transportation Trust Fund debt. We must find a more efficient use of our money that we appropriate for roads and bridges and not have the highest, by far, cost per mile in our nation.”

I'm joined by @mikedohertynj @AFP_NewJersey and @nfib_nj at todays press conf to oppose the billion $ gas tax hike pic.twitter.com/SjahpFPPT5

— Sen. Jennifer Beck (@jenbecknj) June 15, 2016

"The vultures of Trenton want to build light rails. This is not for safe bridges and safe roads." @mikedohertynj

— New Jersey 101.5 (@nj1015) June 15, 2016

.@NFIB State Director Laurie Ehlbeck @NJmompop will be speaking against the 23-cent gas tax hike soon #NOGASTAX https://t.co/9wS92QG0aS

— NFIB New Jersey (@nfib_nj) June 15, 2016

"The idea that in a highly taxed state we would raise taxes is a growing frustration." @jenbecknj

— New Jersey 101.5 (@nj1015) June 15, 2016

"The gas tax being tied with the estate tax is part of the scam." @mikedohertynj

— New Jersey 101.5 (@nj1015) June 15, 2016

The State Director of NFIB NJ speaking out for reform in Trenton and for NJ Businesses. #nogastax #reform pic.twitter.com/VteVq6mG7N

— AFP-New Jersey (@AFP_NewJersey) June 15, 2016

State Director Erica Jedynak letting everyone know about the horrible idea of a gas tax. #nogastax #reform pic.twitter.com/En5wRBwlFT

— AFP-New Jersey (@AFP_NewJersey) June 15, 2016