RESOLUTION #2008-027

 

RESOLUTION OF THE BOROUGH OF HARVEY CEDARS, COUNTY OF OCEAN, STATE OF NEW JERSEY, EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO THE GOVERNOR’S TOLL ROAD MONETIZATION PLAN

 

            WHEREAS the Governing Body of the Borough of Harvey Cedars finds and declares that the substantial toll increases required of the Governor’s Monetization Plan disparately targets residents of Ocean/Atlantic/Burlington counties because of their proximity to and dependence on state toll roads; and

 

            WHEREAS the Governing Body further finds figures from the Governor’s Monetization Plan show tolls will increase 800 percent from 2010 to 2022 for commuters traveling on the Garden State Parkway, Atlantic City Expressway and New Jersey Turnpike; and

 

            WHEREAS local residents will be held hostage to the Parkway as local North-South roads (Route 9) are incapable of handling increased traffic volume; and

 

            WHEREAS commuters, including commercial trucks diverting to local roadways avoiding toll booths will worsen traffic conditions in municipalities that will incur additional road maintenance expenditures; and

 

            WHEREAS the planned toll increases unfairly shift the financial burden of the state’s debt on residents of rural areas who rely more heavily on the use of state toll roads compared to residents of urban areas with greater access to mass transportation; and

 

            WHEREAS it is the collective opinion of the Governing Body that the planned toll increases will have a negative economic impact on consumers through higher costs for products and goods, the result of increased transportation costs incurred by businesses and passed on to consumers; and

 

            WHEREAS the imposition of this massive toll increase is a lifetime proposal, encompassing multiple generations, beginning for a child born within two years and likely to span his entire lifetime while remaining in place for duration of current drivers’ lifespan; and

 

            WHEREAS the establishment of a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) called for under the Governor’s Toll Road Monetization Plan will establish a parallel government which will be unaccountable to the taxpayers and clearly represents yet another expansion of the state government bureaucracy; and

 

            WHEREAS the Governing Body wishes to express its opposition to the Governor’s Toll Road Monetization Plan which will raise tolls on the Garden State Parkway, Atlantic City Expressway and the New Jersey Turnpike by 50 percent, plus inflation, every four years over a 75-year period resulting in a 800 percent increase in tolls form 2010 to 2022 in addition to establishing new tolls on Route 440.

 

            NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Commissioners of the Borough of Harvey Cedars, County of Ocean, as follows:

 

  1. The Governing Body does hereby express its opposition to the Governor’s Toll Road Monetization Plan which will raise tolls on the Garden State Parkway, Atlantic City Expressway and the New Jersey Turnpike by 50 percent, plus inflation, every four years over a 75-year period resulting in a 800 percent increase in tolls from 2010 to 2022 in addition to establishing new tolls on Route 440.
  2. A certified copy of this Resolution shall be forwarded to Governor Jon S. Corzine, State Senator Christopher J. Connors, State Assemblymen Brian E. Rumpf and Daniel M. Van Pelt, and the New Jersey League of Municipalities.

 

PASSED ON:  February 4, 2008