Two announcements from Governor Christie this month send a clear message as to what his transportation priorities will be. Earlier this month the Governor stated that a gas tax increase is "off the table" and today he announced that he is cutting subsidies for NJ TRANSIT saying that the state can no longer continue to subsidize the agency "to the extent it does."
The likely result will be service cuts and fare increases, meanwhile motorists will continue to enjoy some of the lowest gasoline prices in the nation. Transit riders pay a user fee called a fare and drivers pay user fee called a gas tax. This "transit user fee increase" may sway "choice riders" to abandon public transportation while the leaving the "captive riders" waiting at the station, and absorbing a cost of living increase.
Transit is inherently tied to bicycling and walking as the combination of these modes allow people to get to places without a car. Generally areas of the state that have the largest bicycling and walking mode shares also have the highest amount of transit use.
Let me get this straight: a gas tax increase is bad because ti will hurt the economy by taking money out of the pockets of citizens, but a transit fare hike will not hur the economy because it will be paid by magical elves, right?
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