Council to pan Turnpike sale

Gov. Corzine has said his plans for the ‘moneterization of state assets’ do not include the sale of the Turnpike.

By: Joseph Harvie
   The Township Council wants the state to know that it is against the lease or sale of the N.J. Turnpike to a private company.
   The Township Council agreed to pass a resolution objecting to the sale of the Turnpike, and said it would be discussed at the next Township Council work session Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
   In his budget address in February, Gov. Jon Corzine called for the "moneterization of state assets," including the lottery and state’s toll roads to generate revenue and pay down the state’s debt. The governor said the reduced debt would mean lower debt payments, freeing up money for other services and property tax reform. Gov. Corzine has said as recently as Tuesday that his plans do not include the sale of the Turnpike.
   Other states, including Indiana, and large cities, including Chicago have leased their toll roads and it has been a common practice in Europe.
   The monetarization proposal has not been popular in public opinion polling and a number of state legislators have announced their opposition.
   Kingston resident Steve Reichenstein and Barry Kushnir, treasurer with the union that represents Turnpike workers, approached the council Tuesday seeking to add South Brunswick to the list of sale/lease opponents. Mr. Reichenstein and Mr. Kushnir told the council that the sale or lease or the Turnpike could hurt South Brunswick directly.
   Mr. Reichenstein said businesses move to South Brunswick because of Exit 8A, which has become a hub for the shipping industry. In addition, he said that if the private company that takes over the toll road does not properly maintain the Turnpike, drivers would look for alternate route like Route 1, which is already congested.
   Mr. Kushnir, of IFPTE, AFL/CIO-CLC, Local 194, said tolls pay for Turnpike maintenance, salaries and for state troopers that patrol the highway. He said that a sale or lease of the road could mean that the state would have to help subsidize the road to pay for the police and maintenance, which he said has occurred in Indiana.
   In addition, he said the Turnpike pays $29 million into the state Transportation Trust Fund annually, and once leased or sold, that money could also go away.
   Mr. Reichenstein said that the sale or lease of the Turnpike could also give a private company control over the road’s assets, which would include the land that was set aside for the now-defunct Route 92. The Turnpike Authority took the plans for Route 92 off the books in December, and is instead focusing on widening the toll road between Exits 6 and 8A. However, the Turnpike still owns about 100 acres in South Brunswick that had been set aside for the right-of-way for Route 92.
   Mayor Gambatese said the township wants to purchase the land from the Turnpike and preserve it as open space. He said the township sent a letter to the Turnpike Authority in December requesting the land, but has not received a response. He said a follow-up letter would be sent immediately.