Toll hikes in New Jersey are drawing the ire of state lawmakers

A trio of New Jersey state lawmakers are calling on the governor to block an upcoming toll hike.

Annual toll increases on the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway were approved in September 2020. The increases were part of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority’s 10-year, $24 billion capital plan.

Another round of toll increases

The Turnpike Authority operates the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway.

Authority officials last month announced a fifth round of 3 percent toll increases on the Turnpike and Parkway, set to take effect Jan. 1, 2025. This latest increase is included in the $2.7 billion 2025 budget that was unanimously approved by turnpike commissioners.

The new budget is $95.3 million, a 3.7% increase over the 2024 budget.

Under New Jersey law, the governor can veto the Turnpike Authority’s budget because his office appoints most turnpike board members. As a result, the governor can unilaterally overturn the board’s actions.

Shortly after the 2025 Turnpike budget was approved, Sen. Carmen Amato Jr., Rep. Brain Rumpf and Rep. Gregory Myhre sent a letter to Gov. Phil Murphy urging his administration to veto the upcoming toll increase. The Republican lawmakers who wrote the letter represent parts of Ocean County in the state’s Ninth District.

“We urge your administration to veto the New Jersey Turnpike Authority protocol that would allow further toll increases for commuters in the state,” the lawmakers wrote in the letter.

Lawmakers said as costs rise across the board, from groceries to insurance coverage, too many residents can’t afford to pay more tolls and make ends meet. They added that consumers would likely see a further increase in the cost of goods passed on by companies, which would also be hit financially hard by a toll increase.

“Financially struggling residents are rightly wondering that the state cannot somehow find the means to fund road maintenance out of the $50 billion state budget, but instead must impose another toll increase for the fourth year in a row “said the lawmakers.

Enacting the toll increase would only confirm the view of many residents that Trenton is worsening New Jersey’s affordability crisis at a time when elected officials should be doing exactly the opposite – reducing New Jersey’s crippling tax burden https://t.co/76wCyeq5PJ

– Amato, Rumpf, Myhre (@9thDistrictNJ) November 21, 2024

The governor temporarily vetoed the previous increase

Lawmakers highlighted the governor’s decision in fall 2023 to veto a Turnpike Authority budget with a proposed toll increase. Murphy took the action two weeks before the state’s general election, when all of the state’s legislative seats were on the ballot.

At the time, the governor said he needed time to get input from the Turnpike Authority board about why a toll increase was necessary.

By January 2024, Murphy had approved an identical budget that included the same toll increase. The current toll rates were introduced on March 1st. LL

More landline coverage from New Jersey News is available.