January 21, 2008 - 11:51am

A Tally of Tolling Editorials

Tags: Jon Corzine, Tolls, debt restructuring

If you’re keeping score, editorial support for the Governor’s toll-spiked debt restructuring plan is 0-6-15.

While no editors have jumped on board, some, like The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Star Ledger and The Record, have credited the Governor for coming up with a plan.

The Gov hasn't exactly been issued an EZ Pass. Mostly the newspapers are reserving judgment until there’s a full airing of the plan.

For the naysayers, there are few surprises in this category. News outlets with readers living largely in Ocean, Monmouth and

Middlesex Counties have opposed the plan based upon a fairness standard. The Asbury Park Press editorial board opined: “Commuters have rightly bemoaned the idea of one segment of the population being forced to pony up to make up for the spending sprees and fiscal mistakes of legislatures past and present. Now state data show the lion's share is coming from a segment of the commuting population — the commuters residing in our area."

The problem with this argument is nothing in the state’s budget relies upon this kind of only-pay-for-what-you-use basis. Following the APP logic, commuters living in more rural counties who are forced to drive to work and pay larger portions of the state gas tax should not have to pony up for transit projects that widen roads and add train and bus services for residents living in heavily populated counties.

Credit goest to the Courier News for resisting a knee-jerked reaction to the preliminary numbers and refocusing the debate on the spending side of the ledger.

Send tips to debbie.holtz@politickernj.com

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