Allen, Propp and Griffin Announce "The Waste of the Week"

Allen, Propp, and Griffin Announce: The Waste of the Week

Burlington—  The campaign of 7th District Senator Diane Allen, and Assembly candidates Brian Propp and Nancy Griffin today released the first installment in a series of briefings titled “The Waste of the Week”.  These briefings will highlight the many pieces of wasteful spending that Trenton politicians, including Herb Conaway and Jack Conners, have championed this year.

Waste of the Week: Part I - July 22-28, 2007

$4.5 Million study on how to hike New Jersey’s tolls

Super secret plan costs taxpayers millions

“While New Jersey residents are facing an affordability crisis, the Governor decided to spend $4.5 million to study a proposal that will make New Jersey less affordable.  Trenton politicians have spent millions to study a plan that nobody can afford and nobody wants.  Sounds like a waste to us!”

Trenton Democrats authorized a blank check to spend money in preparation to sell or lease the Turnpike, Parkway, and AC Expressway. “75.  There are appropriated such sums as may be necessary for legal and engineering fees,  financial advisors and other consultants and services associated with, as well as any other costs determined necessary in preparation for, the monetization… or lease of public assets, subject to the approval of the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting.”  (P.L. 2007 c. 111, approved June 28, 2007, Senate No. 3000, New Jersey Legislature website, accessed July 26, 2007, www.njleg.state.nj.us)

 Herb Conaway and Jack Conners were given the chance to remove this provision, but voted to keep it in the budget.  Motion to table Beck Amendment, S-3000, Conaway votes “Yea”, Conners votes “Yea”. (Seq. 838, S-3000, Motion to Table, Sponsored by Asm. Watson-Coleman, June 21, 2007)

 Herb Conaway and Jack Conners voted in favor of the budget authorizing the blank check.  Vote on Final Passage, S-3000, Conaway votes “Yea”, Conners votes “Yea”.  (Seq. 839, S-3000 3RDG Final Passage, Sponsored by Asm. Greenwald, June 21, 2007)

 To date, 4.5 million dollars have been spent to “study” how to sell or lease New Jersey’s toll roads. “Treasury officials have said that the administration has hired attorneys, traffic consultants and engineers, spending $1.4 million for related costs in Fiscal Year 2007 with plans to pay out $3.2 million during FY2008.”  (Graber, Trish G.  “Pike’s pique: GOP tires to draw information on Corzine’s idea for toll road”, Gloucester County Times via NJ.com.  July 6, 2007.  Accessed July 26, 2007. www.nj.com)

After spending all that money, New Jersey will likely not see a plan until after the November 2007 elections. "The fact is we're still in a due diligence process," said Treasury spokesman Tom Vincz. "There's no proposal, we've been saying that all along." (Graber, Trish G.  “Pike’s pique: GOP tires to draw information on Corzine’s idea for toll road”, Gloucester County Times via NJ.com.  July 6, 2007.  Accessed July 26, 2007. www.nj.com)

New Jesey’s State Treasurer has publicly stated that steep toll increases are likely under any proposal that is put forward.  “Last month, state Treasurer Bradley Abelow told reporters that toll hikes are inevitable, with or without any sort of plan to monetize the Turnpike.”  (Howlett, Deborah.  “Turnpike plan may require toll hikes”.  The Star Ledger via NJ.com.  July 12, 2007.  Accessed July 26, 2007.  www.nj.com)

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