Christie Spokesperson: New NJ Gas Tax Proposal Under Review
TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- New Jersey's Senate president has a new plan to raise the gasoline tax to fund transportation projects.
Democrat Steve Sweeney met with Republican Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday.
Christie spokesman Brian Murray and Sweeney spokesman Richard McGrath say a proposal was provided and is under review. But no one is saying what tax cuts would accompany the additional 23-cent-a-gallon increase in the gas tax.
Earlier this month, Sweeney slammed the brakes on a late-night deal brokered between Christie and Democratic Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto to gradually return the sales tax from seven to six percent.
The state Senate earlier this month declined to vote on a deal between Christie and the state Assembly to hike the gas tax by 23 cents while cutting the sales tax from seven to six percent in New Jersey. The deal had been brokered by Christie and Democratic Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto,
Christie responded by ordering a suspension of nonessential road construction projects.
The executive order excludes emergency work and work on roads and bridges in terrible disrepair. There's still $85-million in the Transportation Trust Fund for those projects. The governor said part of the reason for the executive order was making sure there was enough money for the emergency projects as all sides work to come up with a compromise.
New Jersey currently has the second lowest gas tax in the nation. The increase would raise it to the top five or six.
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