Post by adefonzo on Oct 15, 2008 12:15:43 GMT -5
Dear Friend,
As you may be aware, The New Jersey Turnpike Authority is proposing a 115% toll hike over the next four years, with the unspoken blessing of Governor Corzine. Let us be clear: we oppose these toll hikes.
To add insult to injury, the Turnpike Authority scheduled public hearings on these toll hikes at inconvenient times for most working people and neglected to hold one of the meetings in Monmouth or Mercer County, two places which would be most severely affected by the increase in tolls.
We wrote a letter to the Turnpike Authority requesting additional meetings, including weekend and evening meetings, so the people most affected by these changes could have their voices heard. Unfortunately we got no response. On Tuesday September 23rd, we held a press conference along with several other state legislators to state our opposition to the toll hikes and our outrage that Monmouth and Mercer County residents were not given a chance to have their voices heard. Assemblywoman Casagrande attended one of the meetings and stated our opposition to these hikes, calling on the Authority to lower its costs and live within its means.
In May, Republicans from both houses of the Legislature presented budget alternatives which contained $1.3 billion in spending cuts and a funding source for our transportation infrastructure needs which would make these toll hikes unnecessary. The Governor rejected our plan.
In these difficult economic times, when more and more people are unable to afford to live in our state and when businesses are increasingly moving to more business friendly states, raising tolls is the wrong thing for our state. We will continue to do everything in our power to oppose them.
We urge you to contact the Turnpike Authority as soon as possible and let your voice be heard on this matter, which will affect so many people in our district. The address is info@turnpike.state.nj.us
Sincerely,
Jennifer Beck
Senator, District 12
Declan O’Scanlon
Assemblyman, District 12
Caroline Casagrande
Assemblywoman, District
As you may be aware, The New Jersey Turnpike Authority is proposing a 115% toll hike over the next four years, with the unspoken blessing of Governor Corzine. Let us be clear: we oppose these toll hikes.
To add insult to injury, the Turnpike Authority scheduled public hearings on these toll hikes at inconvenient times for most working people and neglected to hold one of the meetings in Monmouth or Mercer County, two places which would be most severely affected by the increase in tolls.
We wrote a letter to the Turnpike Authority requesting additional meetings, including weekend and evening meetings, so the people most affected by these changes could have their voices heard. Unfortunately we got no response. On Tuesday September 23rd, we held a press conference along with several other state legislators to state our opposition to the toll hikes and our outrage that Monmouth and Mercer County residents were not given a chance to have their voices heard. Assemblywoman Casagrande attended one of the meetings and stated our opposition to these hikes, calling on the Authority to lower its costs and live within its means.
In May, Republicans from both houses of the Legislature presented budget alternatives which contained $1.3 billion in spending cuts and a funding source for our transportation infrastructure needs which would make these toll hikes unnecessary. The Governor rejected our plan.
In these difficult economic times, when more and more people are unable to afford to live in our state and when businesses are increasingly moving to more business friendly states, raising tolls is the wrong thing for our state. We will continue to do everything in our power to oppose them.
We urge you to contact the Turnpike Authority as soon as possible and let your voice be heard on this matter, which will affect so many people in our district. The address is info@turnpike.state.nj.us
Sincerely,
Jennifer Beck
Senator, District 12
Declan O’Scanlon
Assemblyman, District 12
Caroline Casagrande
Assemblywoman, District
