Gov. Jon Corzine received a not-so-warm welcome at Marlboro High School, Route 79, on Feb. 4 when he came to present his toll hike plan. The governor was met with protesters outside the building and a large crowd of opposition inside the school’s auditorium.
CHRIS KELLY staff Gov. Jon Corzine uses a graphic to explain his plan to increase tolls to help offset the state budget deficit at a town hall meeting at Marlboro High School Feb. 4. A crowd of over 1,000 people came to hear the discussion, with some being sent to an overflow room.
Introducing the governor was U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (D-12), who was met with jeers for his support of Corzine’s plan, which includes using the value of New Jersey’s toll roads to pay down 50 percent of the state’s debt.
“There is no question that this will hit Monmouth County people hard,” Rush conceded, but was quickly drowned out by the audience.
Trying to explain his plan to the gathered crowd proved to be hard for Corzine, who had to stop at times and wait for the roar of the crowd to die down before he could proceed.
CHRIS KELLY staff A large and hostile crowd filled the auditorium at Marlboro High School Feb. 4 for a town meeting on Gov. Jon Corzine’s proposal to hike tolls to offset the state budget deficit. Corzine was booed loudly and often as he discussed the details of his plan and took comments at the meeting, the second so far for the governor, who has announced he will stump for his plan in all 21 counties. One attendee made his feelings known by showing up in a “when pigs fly” getup. The four-part plan calls for state spending for the next fiscal year to be frozen at this year’s level; on future budgets, spending will not be allowed to exceed recurring revenue growth; all future debt issued without a dedicated revenue source must be approved by the voters; and tolls will be raised to pay down 50 percent of the state’s debt and permanently fund statewide transportation improvements. The toll increases are scheduled for the next 75 years along the state’s three major toll roads – the Garden State Parkway, New Jersey Turnpike and Atlantic City Expressway – and on a segment of Route 440.
The average trip on the turnpike currently costs $1.21, according to a press release provided by the governor’s office. Under the proposed increases, that same trip would cost $2.05 in 2010 and would rise as high as $12.50 in 25 years.
In his presentation, Corzine went over shortsighted financial decisions that were made over the years, noting the belief in 2002 that inflation revenue figures would pay for new spending. He also said that the first $860 in household taxes goes to paying interest and debt payments. Graphs displayed the net tax-supported debt outstanding on a rise of roughly 13 percent since 1990.
Without taking action, New Jersey’s transportation needs will have no money to fund them after 2011, Corzine said. He added that $40 billion is needed over the next decade for safety and congestion relief purposes, including attention to 700 bridges in the state that are deemed deficient.
In projections of toll revenue over a course of nine years, starting with fiscal year 2009, with an estimate of $939 million given for Monmouth County, the governor told those assembled that this money would be reinvested in the areas where it was generated, showing Monmouth County a $2.9 billion return.
When the meeting was opened up to the public for comments, residents rushed to form lines, eager to express their opinion on the controversial plan.
State Sen. Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth and Mercer) was met with overwhelming applause when she approached the microphone to tell Corzine and those present that she stands in opposition to his plan.
Beck, of Red Bank, spoke of $1.5 million in cuts that had previously been denied by the governor. Corzine interrupted Beck, calling some of her proposals illegal cuts.
“We must restructure the liability for our pension and health benefits. Last year you were in negotiations with the union and you had an opportunity to do that, and you did only very minimal changes. That liability grows each and every year. We must statutorily change, for new public employees, what benefits they receive when they retire, so that liability starts to even out,” Beck told Corzine, adding that the cap on state spending must be constitutional, that it must be approved by 67 percent of the Legislature.
“My question is this: This is a 75-year plan – you can’t predict what new governors and new Legislatures will do with this $40 billion of debt, which is not paying off anything. This is an AmEx card to pay off your Visa Platinum,” Beck said.
The majority of comments focused on cutting spending in other areas, including state pensions. Some residents offered solutions and possible avenues to generate revenue without hiking toll prices for New Jersey residents. The meeting was slated to end at 9 p.m., and residents were angry that Corzine did not stay longer so that the remainder of the long lines of residents could have their opportunity at the microphone.