Wisniewski Schedules Hearing On NJ Transit Subsidy Cut
TRENTON – Assembly Transportation Chairman John Wisniewski on Friday announced the panel will hear testimony on the potential impact of the governor’s plan to slash NJ Transit’s subsidy and the fare hikes and service cuts that may result.
The hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 18, in Committee Room 11 on the fourth-floor of the State House Annex in Trenton. The hearing will be streamed live at http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/media/live_audio.asp.
The funding cut is part of Gov. Chris Christie’s plan to address a $2.2 billion deficit in New Jersey’s current year budget.
“Gov. Christie’s plan will a have wide-ranging negative impact and may well equate to a hefty tax increase on lower- and middle-class New Jerseyans who have no other choice but to rely on NJ Transit to get to work,” said Wisniewski (D-Middlesex). “This would also lead to more highway congestion and impair smartly planned economic development around transportation centers.”
Without public discussion and debate, Christie on Thursday said his administration would withhold $32.7 million from NJ Transit. Christie himself said this could lead to service reductions or fare increases.
“Clearly, taxing our commuters and derailing public transit raises many questions and we’re going to try to get some answers,” Wisniewski said. “The public has been denied a transparent debate on this but we’re going to do our job properly and examine this questionable plan.”
