Christie takes aim at gas taxes, pensions, property taxes and teachers union

WHIPPANY — With the state’s Transportation Trust Fund less than three weeks away from running out of money for new road, bridge and rail projects, Gov. Chris Christie said the fix being pushed by the Democratic-controlled legislature lacked sufficient tax breaks to be signed into law. Speaking to the Morris County Chamber of Commerce on Monday,… Read the rest of this entry »

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Christie in N.H.: ‘I’m not going to increase the gas tax’ in N.J.

SALEM, N.H. — Speaking on the campaign trail in New Hampshire, Gov. Chris Christie said he has no plans to raise New Jersey’s gas tax. The governor, fielding a heated question from a former New Jersey resident angered for being forced to leave the Garden State because he said the cost of living was too high,… Read the rest of this entry »

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Sen Michael Doherty: Gas Tax Sunk NJ Assembly Republicans

In an email to his Republican colleagues in the NJ Senate on Monday, Senator Michael Doherty said that the Assembly Republican leadership’s support of increasing the gas tax is what led to the loss of four seats in the lower chamber in last week’s election.

Rutgers-Eagleton conducted a poll in October on the gas tax.  See attachment and an extract of the results below.

Why did Republican Assembly leadership come out in support of a gas tax increase?

R Assembly candidates should have all come out 100% against a gas tax increase.

66% of voters oppose a gas tax increase.

We had 69% of Independent voters and 73% of Republican voters on our side.

Even 57% of Democrat voters oppose the gas tax increase.

We wouldn’t have lost any seats if R’s campaigned on being 100% against a gas tax increase.

“We didn’t have to lose any seats and could have picked up a few,” Doherty said told  MoreMonmouthMusings, “We had no message.”

Doherty said that he has not heard back from any of his Senate colleagues.

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Christie Says There’s No Transportation Crisis; Critics Sharply Disagree

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Why are road, bridge and transit projects so expensive in NJ? Sen. Mike Doherty wants answers

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Christie’s Transportation Commissioner’s inane op-ed illustrates why we went broke in the first place

By Matt Rooney | The Save Jersey Blog

The logic behind a guy seeking the GOP nomination for president appointing a former Torricelli/McGreevey bureaucrat to a critical cabinet post still eludes me, Save Jerseyans.

But here we are. We’re saddled with Jamie Fox now. And this is how he’s spending his time: advocating for a punishing increase in the one tax in New Jersey that isn’t suckily high (the gas tax) and, this past Sunday, penning a guest op-ed in theStar-Ledger claiming that New Jersey’s per-mile road maintenance isn’t nearly as expensive as claimed by gas tax hike opponents.

For starters, he complains that the study treats multiple lane highways like single-lane ones. Moreover, “New Jersey gives out nearly $330 million a year in local transportation aid to counties and municipalities. This helps local government take care of local roads without having to raise property taxes,” Commissioner Fox explains. “The Reason Foundation counts the spending we give to local government but doesn’t count all the miles of local roads that are repaired or built. Therefore, states with greater jurisdiction over local infrastructure fare better in the analysis as those centerline miles are credited to the state.”

You can find a copy of the eye-opening study here.

My #1 problem with Fox’s logic? Divide the number by the actual average number of lanes and New Jersey’s road costs are STILL the highest in the nation. By a mile. Many times over.

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Will N.J. trade a higher gas tax for a lower death tax?

TRENTON — New Jersey’s cheap gas is a point of pride in an otherwise high-tax state. On the other hand, the Garden State is notorious for its duo of death taxes often landing it a spot on superlative lists like “Where not to die” and “Worst states to die.” New Jersey is just one of two… Read the rest of this entry »

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New Commissioner Calls For Transportation Tax, New Tunnel, Expanded Light Rail

Credit: Governor’s Office/Tim Larsen Transportation Commissioner Jamie Fox To new Transportation Commissioner Jamie Fox, the challenge is clear, and so is the solution: After years of “taking a Band-Aid approach to everything,” New Jersey’s transportation system is in crisis. The only way out is to raise taxes to replenish the soon-to-be-empty Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) and… Read the rest of this entry »

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Scudiery Speaks Out In Opposition To A Gas Tax Increase

Democratic leaders in Trenton are working on increasing the only tax in New Jersey that is not one of the highest in the nation, the gasoline tax.

In a February meeting with  The Star Ledger Editorial Board, Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto said he favored increasing the 14.5 cent gas tax and that he favored a tax on water consumption.

Senator Ray Lesniak proposed a 29% increase in the gasoline tax in March.

Former Monmouth Democratic Chairman Victor Scudiery

Former Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Victor V. Scudiery wrote Lesniak to oppose an increase in the gasoline tax on March 25.  Not having heard back from Lesinak, Scudiery sent his letter to all members of the legislature yesterday and released it to the press:

March 25, 2014

Senator Raymond J. Lesniak

985 Stuyvesant Avenue

Union, NJ 07083

Dear Senator Lesniak:

I was disappointed to read that you are proposing raising the tax on gasoline here in New Jersey to pay help for repairs to our roadways.

Have you considered taxing the oil companies I believe that the road repairs should be their responsibility; after all, it appears we have no control over the increase at the gas pumps each week. In 2008 gasoline was $1.89 per gallon, look what has happened in just six (6) short years.  We continue to see a rise in gasoline prices weekly and the average person just cannot afford the current prices let alone another tax.

If the current taxes collected on gasoline were used solely to repair roads as was the original intent, instead of using it for other items in the state budget, it would not be necessary to add any new taxes.  These taxes would be more than enough funds to repairs our roads, bridges and tunnels, which incidentally are one of the highest labor and material costs in the nation.

It is time for all our Elected Officials to look for ways to cut and control spending and keep our residents financial hardships at the forefront.

Your consideration in this matter is appreciated.

Sincerely,

Victor V. Scudiery

Victor V. Scudiery, President

Scudiery Enterprises, LLC

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