State lawmakers consider increasing the gas tax to help replenish the anemic Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) but officials from the Jersey shore are not on board.

Gas Prices, Photo Credit to Listener Robyn Key
Gas Prices, Photo Credit to Listener Robyn Key
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Believing that North Jersey gets the lion share of transportation funding, 30th District (R) State Senator Robert Singer said Ocean and Monmouth counties have not been given its fair share of transportation funding and need to use a car to get most everywhere.

"I don't see a sales tax increase in gasoline helping us in Ocean and Monmouth County and until you show me that ... where I can say to my constituency 'look at the wonderful benefits we got', you don't have my support," said Singer.

"So my answer is show me what you're going to do for Ocean and Monmouth County, show me how my roads are going to be taken care of now and then I'll take a look at something. Until then, don't even bother talking to me about it," Singer added.

10th District (R) Assemblyman Greg McGuckin agrees. He believes shore residents would be most impacted by a gas tax hike because there are very few public transportation options at the shore.

"And the fact that we don't have a real public transportation system in Ocean County, you know, I'm reluctant to say that I would be in favor of a gas tax to fix infrastructure because we have no other choice in Ocean County. All of our residents pay this gas tax because there's very little public transportation," McGuckin said.

However, McGuckin said he might consider raising the gasoline sales tax if taxes were offset in another area .. like the inheritance tax.

"If that is the case. If it's a package deal in that regard, I would be willing to consider it but what I won't consider is increasing tolls to pay for road infrastructure improvements because we in Ocean County are treated unfairly in that regard because we are the highest users of toll roads in the state," McGuckin said.

Even Governor Chris Christie, who in the past has vehemently opposed tax increases of any kind, said during the October Townsquare Media 'Ask The Governor' program, that everything is on the table when considering ways to replenish the TTF.

In a report written by Townsquare Statehouse reporter Kevin McCardle, Legislation introduced by state Senator Ray Lesniak (D-Union) would increase the gas tax by five cents per gallon every year for three years.

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