Statement Regarding Proposed FY07 NJT Fare Increase
The New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers (NJ-ARP) opposes any proposed
increase in transit fares within the Garden State as any "solution" to the
fiscal year 2007 budget.
A fare increase is a tax increase on transit riders only. A proposed fare
increase for fiscal year 2007, now being considered by New Jersey Transit
Corp., will be the fifth fare increase without a single corresponding increase
in motor-fuels taxes. The motorist gets a free ride while the transit rider
pays.
New Jersey's pollution and congestion levels measure 50 percent above the
national average. New Jersey is also the most densely populated state in
the nation. Yet a fare increase exacerbates New Jersey's high transit fares,
already nearly the highest within the United States, even as the state's
gasoline tax is among the lowest. The state thus encourages the mode that
creates the congestion and much of the pollution even as it penalizes transit
riders (and their modes) with higher fares.
The New Jersey motorist receives other subsidies from the general taxpayers
not paid for by gasoline taxes and fees -- for example, local and state police
for traffic enforcement, emergency response services, and snow removal -
while comparable transit costs (including security) are paid from the NJT
budget. In addition, local streets and many county roads are paid for with
property taxes.
NJ-ARP pledges to work with groups of like mind similarly opposed to a proposed
fare increase.
Copyright ©2006 NJ-ARP
These files were created by Bob Scheurle.
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