Mayors back gas tax hike

[Kire]

Mayors, in survey, back gas tax hike
Move would boost transit trust fund
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
BY TOM HESTER
Star-Ledger Staff

Faced with $670 million in road improvements and little hope of finding the money to confront that need, 72 percent of New Jersey mayors who responded to a survey that asked their 2005 priorities said they would support a gas tax hike to help finance the sputtering state transportation trust fund.

A total of 235 of the state's 566 mayors, 42 percent, answered the survey conducted by the New Jersey State League of Municipalities, and 169 of them declared they would back an increase if the revenue was designated to repair municipal and county roads, sidewalks and bridges. Sixty-five mayors oppose the idea.

"The mayors are saying they support the reinstitution of the transportation trust fund and they are looking for a permanent, consistent source of funding to pay for a transportation network that is in dire need of maintenance dollars to repave and widen roads," said William G. Dressel, the league's director.

"Governor Codey has come out of the box and recognizes that something has to be done. It is a bold step (refinancing the fund) that has to be taken and the survey bears that out," Dressel added. "There are no money trees on the Statehouse lawn, and the money has to come from somewhere. A gas tax could be a revenue source for the transportation trust fund, there is a relationship there."

Earlier this month, the state provided 408 cities and towns with $67.5 million in trust fund aid. The mayors had asked for $198 million.

More: http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-8/110421435358840.xml

[Florida_Geek]

1. didn't Congress just pass an fat road bill

where did the money go...... /sarcasm

[MSgt213]

2. Got a short fall? Get it from the people who can least afford it.

Never ask Bush to roll back the tax cuts on the rich or to stop wasting trillions in Iraq.

[sam sarrha]

3. Bu$h's Tax cut to the Rich bites us again in the ass, my property taxes,

sales taxes wint up ..we didnt get but 135 dollars of the cut and out property tax went up 35% to $2,250, the schools only run 4 days a week for lack of money and lack of paid teachers. city sales tax went up to 9.86% and the state is talking about an income tax.. our health insurance wint up coverage went down, we both had jobs outsourced, 3 total sence 01 and we had to move half way across the country to get a half assed job ... Fuckn Moron

[Lenape85]

4. You see, I think we should get rid of the tolls

In exchange for an increase in the gas tax