Amato, Rumpf & Myhre Call on Governor to Veto Turnpike Authority’s Toll Increase

January 31, 2024

In a letter to the Murphy administration, Senator Carmen Amato and Assemblymen Brian Rumpf and Greg Myhre called on the Governor to veto the New Jersey Turnpike Authority minutes that would allow for a toll increase to take effect this March.

The following letter was sent to Governor Murphy (click here to view a copy of the letter):

Dear Governor Murphy:

To prevent yet another increase in the cost of living and doing business in New Jersey, we are calling on your Administration in the strongest terms to veto the New Jersey Turnpike Authority minutes that would allow for a toll increase to take effect this March.

Vetoing the minutes would be consistent with the action you took just prior to the 2023 General Election. Undoubtedly, the state’s road conditions and relative finances have not changed since then to the degree that would force you to completely reverse your pre-election decision. Doing nothing to stop the toll increase would be rightly viewed as an insider powerplay, demonstrating Trenton’s willingness to impose financial hardships on residents and business when politically convenient. More obviously, toll increases would further erode the public’s confidence in Trenton to competently manage the state’s finances.

Outraged constituents are asking the same questions we are about the potential toll increases. How does Trenton expect the average taxpayer to keep paying more in tolls while also continuing to pay high property taxes? Why does Trenton boast about offering tax relief plans and business tax incentives only to deliberately raise the cost of living and doing business in the state? Taxpayers rightly expect their government to make hard yet common sense decisions just as taxpayers are forced to on a daily basis regarding their own personal finances in this high-tax state.

To reiterate, increasing tolls is wrong now just as it was several months ago. Too many residents in this state are at their financial breaking point and cannot afford to hand over yet more of their money to a government that seems more interested in raising revenue than working in the best interests of taxpayers.

Sincerely,

Senator Carmen F. Amato, Jr.

Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf

Assemblyman Greg E. Myhre