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BY TOM HESTER SR.
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
Under a partially revised New Jersey Transit fare hike plan, riders on local bus routes and light rail trains would pay a 10 percent increase instead of 25 percent. But commuter train riders and passengers on long distance routes such as those to New York City or Philadelphia would continue to face a 25 percent increase.
The new plan is described as taking into consideration that the neediest portion of the population rides local buses. It will be considered by NJ Transit's board of directors Wednesday in Newark.
"The modified proposal seeks to minimize the impact of fare changes and service reductions on the most vulnerable riders — low-income riders, students, seniors and customers with disabilities, NJ Transit Director Jim Weinstein said Monday.
Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex), Assembly Transportation Committee chairman and state Democratic leader, was unimpressed with the revised plan."This is a small step in the right direction for bus riders, but this remains a tax increase by another name for mass transit riders who have no choice but to use NJ Transit daily to get to work,'' he said. "I remain unconvinced that Governor Christie has done enough to cut costs and patronage before passing on this massive fare hike to working class New Jerseyans."
Christie and Weinstein argue a fare increase is necessary to close a $300 million budget deficit for NJ Transit by July 1.
New Jersey Sierra Club Director Jeff Tittel described the fare hike as "outrageous'' tax increase on working families.
The NJ Transit board is set to meet at 9 a.m.
WHY??? So he can provide a TAX WINDFALL for the RICH and keep driving his SUVs!!!!!
Citing budget shortfalls, the Governor substantially raised fares for public transit, the environmentally sound lifeline for many middle class and poorer New Jerseyans.
This huge increase is especially wrong because, in 2001, the NJ Legislature, including sponsors Neil Cohen and the Governor’s Chief of Staff, Richard Bagger, mandated that all New Jersey health insurance carriers cover mega expensive infertility treatments. See N.J.S.A. 17B:27-46.1x.
According to the New Jersey Association of Health Plans, this law added over $500/year to every New Jersey health insurance premium. Thus, New Jerseyans have paid billions in inflated premiums to fund infertility treatments since 2001.
Moreover, New Jerseyans pay twice for IVF because, through taxes, they also pay $250 million/year toward the commensurately inflated premiums of 500,000 State and municipal employees, teachers and retirees.
Effectively, the Governor is saying it is more important for aging suburbanites to create test tube babies than it is for less affluent New Jerseyans to travel affordably. Shifting support for public transit to subsidies for the Brave New World of reproduction is a radical and morally dubious departure from the historical role of government. If the billions in IVF subsidies were devoted to public transportation, NJ Transit could lower its fares considerably, instead of raising them.
Please join me in boycotting NJ Transit beginning May 1.
While people take local buses for 65 cents to $3 rides will see a fare increase of 10-30 cents, others that commute greater distances will see their fares up in dollars. What a great socialist system. Is this the same socialist system with the Obamacare?
Example, a person travelling from Toms River to New York or 18 zones will see and increase from $15.50 to $19.50 or $4, while those commuters who travel a short distance may see an increase of only 10-20 cents.
Are you for real. It's time to boycott or ride mass transit less and drive to work.
Furthermore, boycott NJ businesses to keep the pressure on the Governor to stop this unfair tax increase on the working persons.
If New Jersey is so broke, let's make it more broke by killing NJ businesses and mass transit as well
The Garden State can now be called the Polluted State.
If this ridiculous fare increase goes into effect May 1st, I would advise the following:
Use mass transit less or car pool to work.
Use car pooling to at least a place closer to your destination even if you do take public transportation in which you will pay a lower fare to get to work.
I would boycott NJ businesses and buy my goods in New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware or neighboring states to show my displeasure to this fare increase and the Governor's decision.
If you must buy things in NJ, buy your items only in communities that offer the 3 1/2 percent tax zones only.
In short, let's show NJ that a fare increase will not only hurt mass transit but businesses in NJ as well.
If NJ is broke, so will the businesses be.