O’Scanlon legislation would keep road work going, keep Monmouth Park open, in the event of a NJ shutdown

Senator Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth County) announced that he will introduce two bills tomorrow in the NJ Senate tomorrow that, if enacted, would lessen the destructive aspects of a state government shutdown.

Governor Phil Murphy and the Democrat leaders in the legislature, Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, are thus far deadlocked over their competing proposals to raise taxes on New Jersey residents, tourists and businesses.   If they are unable to come to an agreement, and get the legislature to concur, by midnight tomorrow, the government will shutdown.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Backers of Public Question #2 Say It’s Only Way to Make Sure Gas Tax Goes to TTF

Over the past three decades New Jersey voters have approved several ballot questions that have protected revenue raised from state fuel taxes from being used for anything other than transportation projects. Now, in the wake of the unpopular 23-cent gas-tax increase that went into effect today, voters are being asked to do so again. One of… Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Doherty’s long term support for the gas tax increase, toll hikes and other profitable ventures

Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty, a candidate for Monmouth County Freeholder, is a long term supporter of the gas tax increase that is up for a vote in the State Legislature on Friday.

In 2014, Doherty wrote a letter endorsing the work of Foward New Jersey, a coalition of unions and other special interest groups who will collect the $2 million per mile construction costs that the $.23 per gallon gas tax  will fund. Forward New Jersey has been lobbying for the gas tax increase for almost two years and is waging a social media campaign to counter the grass-roots opposition to the tax increase as you are reading this article.  Doherty’s letter can be found here.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Votes by N.J. lawmakers on 23-cent gas tax hike deal stalled until Friday

TRENTON — Planned votes on measures to raise the gasoline tax 23 cents a gallon to raise money for road improvements and cut $1.4 billion in taxes were put off two days after proponents ran into a procedural hurdle in the state Senate on Wednesday. Senators said Wednesday the upper chamber was short the 30 votes… Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Despite TTF Deal, It’s Still Unclear When Roadwork Will Resume in New Jersey

With the political impasse over transportation funding that has gripped Trenton for the past three months now settled, New Jersey lawmakers are scheduled to vote tomorrow on the legislation that will hike the state’s gas tax by 23 cents. The proposed increase already has Gov. Chris Christie’s endorsement and is expected to pass with bipartisan support.… Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Christie makes Gas Tax increase deal with Sweeney and Prieto

file photo

Governor Chris Christie, Senate President Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Prieto announced a deal to replenish the Transportation Trust Fund with a $.23 per gallon gas tax increase this afternoon in Trenton.

In a press release from his office, Christie touted off setting tax decreases in the deal–“tax fairness”– which he said will more than compensate for the gas tax increase.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

O’Scanlon addresses his critics regarding his declining to vote on the Assembly gas tax bill

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon, the Republican Budget Officer in the Assembly and a representative of northern Monmouth County in the lower house of the legislature has taken some criticism here in the MMM comments and on facebook for not voting on the Transportation Trust Fund bill that was sprung on the Assembly by Speaker Vincent Prieto and Governor Chris Christie in the middle of the night on June 30.  The bill, which would have increased the gas tax by $.23 per gallon and lowered the state sales tax from 7% to 6% passed in the Assembly and was never voted on by the Senate.

Now almost six weeks later with the TTF still not renewed and road projects stalled throughout the state, O’Scanlon said that he believes “even more strongly that my decision was exactly the right one.”

O’Scanlon issued the following statement to MMM to explain his decision not to vote on the Assembly TTF bill:

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

O’Scanlon: If Pensions are on the ballot, delay TTF until after the election

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon, the Republican Assembly Budget Officer, said today that no New Jersey legislator can responsibly vote on a bill to replenish the state’s Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) if a constitutional amendment requiring the state to make specified annual payments to state employees pensions funds is on the ballot this November.

“No legislator from either party can cast a responsible vote on any TTF plan until we know if the disastrously flawed Democrat constitutional amendment will be on the ballot.  If the Senate Democrats irresponsibly vote to place the amendment on the ballot they are voting to put any TTF decision off until after November – at least.

O’Scanlon said that the constitutional amendment proposed by the Democratic majority has three fatal flaws:

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Arnone: Shark River dredging to restart imminently

Freehold Director Tom Arnone told MoreMonmouthMusings that the NJ Department of Transportation has agreed to restart the Shark River dredging project despite the fact that the Transportation Trust Fund has yet to be renewed and funded. The news came to Arnone from a DOT official via phone after business hours on Wednesday.

NJ DOT spokesman Kevin Israel confirmed that the project will restart in an email to MMM.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Christie says Sweeney and Prieto have not shared their gas tax plan with him

MMM file photo

Brian T. Murray, Governor Chris Christie’s spokesman, told MMM in an email that Christie has not seen the Transportation Trust Fund legislation that Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto announced today.

New Jersey’s infrastructure construction projects have been shut down since July 8 when the TFF was down to a $10 million balance which being held for emergency projects.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet