NJ Forward includes gas tax increase as one funding option, urges merger of transportation agencies and more public-private partnerships
With New Jersey’s Transportation Trust Fund running on empty after years of overborrowing, a blue-ribbon coalition has banded together to push for a stable source of funding for transportation projects, consolidation of the state’s five transportation agencies and authorities, and increased reliance on public-private partnerships to finance major initiatives.
They assembled early at the State House, about 30 business leaders upset at the Democrats' call for tax hikes to balance the budget.
"We've had enough. The business community has had enough anti-business legislation," said New Jersey Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas Bracken.
A large coalition of business groups, trade organizations and state legislators took to the Statehouse steps Tuesday in opposition to a budget proposal put forth by Senate and Assembly Democrats that would raise taxes on millionaires and businesses.
We have a short-term budget problem in New Jersey but a much more serious long-term fiscal problem. We can debate solutions to both, but there is only one solution that has received unanimous support for bringing New Jersey back to economic health.
The unquestioned solution is job growth.
A coalition of members from the business, labor and legislative communities took to Port Elizabeth Tuesday to call on the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor to immediately fill what it says are nearly 500 job vacancies across the area's ports.