TRENTON — The state Senate approved a bill Thursday to reduce part of a planned toll hike because some of the revenue — $1.25 billion — was earmarked to help pay for the Hudson River rail tunnel project Gov. Chris Christie killed last year. "This bill is extremely simple: no tunnel, no toll increase," state Sen. Nicholas Sacco (D-Hudson),...
A 2010 file photo of toll booths on the N.J. Turnpike.TRENTON — The state Senate approved a bill Thursday to reduce part of a planned toll hike because some of the revenue — $1.25 billion — was earmarked to help pay for the Hudson River rail tunnel project Gov. Chris Christie killed last year.
"This bill is extremely simple: no tunnel, no toll increase," state Sen. Nicholas Sacco (D-Hudson), a sponsor, said.
The bill (S2636) passed, 27-9. The Assembly has not yet considered it. If the Assembly approves the measure and it gets to the governor’s desk, Christie is likely to veto it. The administration has said rolling back the increase would expose the New Jersey Turnpike Authority to litigation by bond owners who based their decisions on financial projections that included the revenue. It could also lead to a federal investigation and lower the authority’s bond rating, the administration has said.
"This is nothing more than a transparent political ploy," said Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for the governor. "It is the height of irresponsibility that they choose to be so cavalier with state finances merely for the sake of scoring political points."
Six Republicans joined 21 Democrats in voting for the measure.
"I led the fight against Gov. Corzine increasing the tolls on the Turnpike when he tried to sell our toll roads," State Sen. Michael Doherty (R-Hunterdon), who voted for the roll back. "I think it’s a consistent principle of mine of having lower taxes and lower tolls."
But Doherty would not say whether he would vote to override a veto by the Republican governor, calling it "hypothetical."
State Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) was the only Democrat to vote against the bill.
Tolls are still set to go up on the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway in January, and the governor says that revenue should be used for state road, rail and bridge projects.
Previous coverage:
• N.J. Senate approves canceling scheduled toll hikes
• Memo warns proposed toll hike rollbacks pose trouble for N.J.
• Gov. Christie says new Gateway tunnel plan addresses his ARC project cost concerns
• N.J. senators, Amtrak official to announce new commuter train tunnel project across the Hudson