Top Stories

Corzine's Plan Draws Out Of State Opposition

Governor Wants Toll Hikes To Repair Bridges, Roads

TRENTON (AP) ― Transportation and other government officials across the country are keeping a close eye on New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine's plan to raise tolls to fund transportation and pay off state debt.

But few are willing to endorse it for now.

The New York Times interviewed more than two dozen legislators and transportation officials across the country about Corzine's proposal, and many have rejected it.

"We think it punishes people for something they've already paid for, and in this program he's really going to punish the truckers," Frank J. Busalacchi, Wisconsin's transportation secretary, told the newspaper for Sunday editions.

"The idea of foisting costs on the commercial sector to basically pay down New Jersey's debt is going to hurt competitiveness," said Jack L. Schenendorf, vice chairman of the bipartisan National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, created by Congress.

Corzine in January proposed setting up a public benefit corporation that would sell bonds paid with toll increases of 50 percent in 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022. The increases would include inflation adjustments. After 2022, tolls would increase every four years until 2085 to reflect inflation.

The money, Corzine said, would pay at least half of $32 billion in debt and fund transportation work for 75 years.

Legislators balked at the plan so much that Corzine for now is concentrating on another initiative: passing a $33 billion state budget that cuts spending by $2.7 billion.

Still, Corzine says something needs to be done to repair aging roads, bridges and mass transit.

"I think everyone is struggling with how you pay for infrastructure," Corzine told The New York Times.

Some officials across the country are intrigued with Corzine's toll plan.
"One hopes that people really do step back and really analyze this. It's to easy to say, 'I don't want to pay higher tolls,"' said Scott Pattison, executive director of the National Association of State Budget Officers.

Joe Markosek, chairman of the transportation committee in the Pennsylvania House, gives Corzine credit for trying.

"I think we're looking at it in terms of, 'He's trying to do the best he can under a very, very difficult situation -- much worse than ours,"' Markosek said.

(© 2008 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

---