In Gov. Phil Murphy’s state, NJ Transit has less than a year to plug a $917 million budget hole that could force fare increases, service cuts or layoffs.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and NJ Transit are being asked by transit advocates to look at Albany as an example of how things should be done. | Spencer Platt/Getty ImagesIn a stark display of political will on one side of the Hudson River and can-kicking on the other, New York solved budget problems facing its mass transit system on Wednesday while New Jersey ignored ones that threaten its own bus and train commuters.In Gov.
“For New Jersey residents, I think it would be super good if New Jersey Transit stepped up their game and actually started delivering a real serious transit product for the working people of New Jersey,” said John Samuelsen, who, as international president of the Transport Workers Union, represents some 40,000 MTA employees.only just beginning to talk about their budget problems.
Those thousands of commuters will now be spending the middle of their commute on a relatively reliable transit system, the MTA. But they will be starting and ending their day on a transit system with a future full of question marks. Samuelsen, who is also a member of that tolling board and the MTA, said there may be decades of disinvestment by the state in its transit system but “the issue of New Jersey is going to have to be addressed by New Jersey.”
For over a decade MTA has tried to have regular but incremental fare increases, instead of holding out and then being forced to make steep hikes. In New Jersey, some options are floating around, like new taxes or fees, but each has its complications and none of the ideas has a public champion yet. With all 120 lawmakers on the ballot this year, little will likely be done until late fall, at least, meaning there could be only a matter of months to come up with a political solution by the beginning of the budget year next July.
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