Garden State Times

TRENTON, N.J. – When voting against a bill to raise the gas tax and reauthorize the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF), Republicans on the Assembly Transportation Committee highlighted concerns for road safety, commuter costs, and the need for a return on investment for residents.

Assemblyman Christopher DePhillips emphasized the importance of ensuring a return on investment for residents, stating, "We all support transportation infrastructure... But, our residents want and deserve to see return on investment."

Assemblyman Michael Inganamort expressed opposition to the gas tax increase, stating, "An increase in the gas tax is unnecessary and unwise." He also called for a full forensic audit of New Jersey Transit to address financial issues.

Assemblyman Christian Barranco raised concerns about the impact of inflation on commuter costs, stating, "We are in the middle of the highest level of inflation... And now we’re going to tell everybody, ‘Oh by the way, you’re going to pay more for your gas, too?’"

Assemblyman Rob Clifton emphasized the need for thorough evaluation before passing the bill, expressing, "Before I can even consider voting yes, I need to know how this bill will benefit my district... I want to see what value we got from the last reauthorization."

Despite the bill passing along party lines, DePhillips stressed the non-political nature of the issue, emphasizing the importance of protecting residents' safety: "There is a long history of bipartisanship... the primary responsibility of lawmakers is to protect the safety of residents."

The bill in question aimed to reauthorize the TTF for the next five years by raising gas tax collections and introducing a new annual registration tax on zero-emission vehicles. However, Republican lawmakers raised valid concerns regarding road safety, commuter costs, and the need for a comprehensive assessment of transportation infrastructure before moving forward.