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SCHUNDLER & TOLLS: PUTTING UP BARRIERS TO THE TRUTH WOODBRIDGE, NJ - McGreevey for Governor campaign director Steve DeMicco today called on Republican Bret Schundler to stop misleading voters and tell the truth to the people of New Jersey about how long it will really take to remove tolls on the Garden State Parkway. Schundler has said again and again that he will remove the tolls within his first nine months in office if he's elected governor, and that removing the tolls will be "the best tax cut we could possibly give you." He uses Connecticut's experience with toll removal as his poster child, saying that it only took the state six months to remove the toll barriers. But a closer look at what happened in Connecticut unveils an entirely different story. It actually took the state about three years to get rid of the tolls, and their gas tax tripled to the highest in the nation in order to make it happen. "Whether it's his plan to remove the parkway tolls, abandon public schools, weaken New Jersey's tough gun laws or restrict a woman's right to choose, Bret Schundler isn't talking straight to the people of this state," said DeMicco. "Bret Schundler should stop trying to mislead voters and he should tell the truth about his record and what his plans would really mean for our state's future." Jim McGreevey also wants to remove the tolls in New Jersey, but he's committed to doing it right - relieving congestion and not adding to the burden of commuters or the debt of New Jersey's taxpayers. To set the record straight, following are the facts about Connecticut's toll removal experience: How long did it really take to remove the tolls? * Former Governor William A. O'Neill signed legislation to remove the tolls on the Connecticut Turnpike on July 15, 1983, but it was 27 months later before the state stopped collecting the tolls -- on October 9, 1985. [Source: The New York Times, 7/16/83] [Source: "The Complete Guide to Roads, Crossings and Exits In New York, New Jersey and Connecticut," www.nycroads.com/roads/ct-turnpike/] -more- * Jay William Burns, Connecticut Transportation Commissioner, projected it would take an additional nine months -- until July, 1986 -- to actually demolish the toll barriers and reconstruct the road. [Source: The New York Times, 10/6/85] Tolls and Taxes... * In 1984, the tax on gas in Connecticut was 13-cents per gallon. By 1997, it was 39 cents per gallon, the highest in the nation. [Source: Connecticut Department of Transportation, State Funding: Special Transportation Fund, 10/4/01] * In 1991, Connecticut instituted an income tax. [Source: New York Times, 9/4/96] After instituting an income tax, Connecticut's gas tax decreased to 25-cents per gallon, which is still the seventh highest in the nation. It far outpaces New Jersey's 14.5-cent gas tax, one of the five lowest in the nation. [Source: State Motor Fuel Tax Rates, Transportation Planning Division, Nebraska Department of Roads, July 1, 2001] The Garden State Parkway and the Connecticut Turnpike - comparing apples to oranges. * Connecticut had no debt on its road when it removed the tolls. Its $115 million debt had already been paid off. [Source: The New York Times, 10/6/85] Today, the Garden State Parkway faces a $600 million outstanding debt. [Source: Star-Ledger, 8/9/01] * The CT Turnpike tolls generated only $55 million a year in revenues. [Source: The New York Times, 2/6/83] In contrast, the Garden State Parkway generates $190 million in revenue. [Source: Star-Ledger, 8/9/01] Piling on the debt - but Schundler won't say whether he'll put it to a vote. * Bret Schundler still hasn't said if he'll put the question to the voters of whether the State should assume the Parkway's $600 million in debt. "Jim McGreevey is the only candidate providing straight talk on removing the parkway tolls and other important issues in this campaign, and he's committed to making sure that it's done responsibly," DeMicco said. "Unfortunately, Bret Schundler has no problem with misleading voters and hiding the truth. New Jersey deserves better." ***** Paid for by McGreevey for Governor 2001, Inc "Fights for New Jersey. Right for New Jersey." ***** You have been sent this email because you or someone you know registered with our email distribution list. If you have received this message in error, please reply to this message or write to jim@mcgreevey.org with "unsubscribe" in the subject line.
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