Governor Continues To Be Dogged About His Turnpike Plan

Millennium Radio New Jersey ^ | Tuesday, July 31, 2007 | Kevin McArdle

[Calpernia]

Governor Jon Corzine continues to be dogged by questions about his still secret plans to monetize State assets, namely the New Jersey Turnpike and he continues to refuse to release any details. A recent poll shows Garden State voters oppose the idea and even some of Corzine's fellow Democrats are critical of the undisclosed scheme.

"I don't have plans until I have a plan," says Corzine. He adds, "It makes no sense to talk about something that we don't know the underlying factors on……people in my own party (Democratic) and the other party, they all want to talk about something that I can't be as straightforward to the public about as we should be."

"We're going to do it right, not on a schedule that might be convenient for the electoral season and we are going to have a public discussion," says the Governor. He explains, "I see all the assumptions that somehow this is going to be done in lame duck, I haven't said that." However, Corzine hasn't guaranteed the plan would not be introduced or pushed through the legislature after November's election. Several weeks ago he said, "There is no intent to bring it up in lame duck."

We caught a glimpse opf what the public might say in last week's Monmouth University-Gannett New Jersey poll. Generally, those polled dislike the very idea of monetizing anything. Poll director Patrick Murray explains, "They just think it's a bad concept. 55% say it's a bad idea versus 33% who say it's a good idea." The remainder has mixed feelings or no opinion. About 6-in-10 Republicans (58%) and independents (61%) give asset monetization a thumbs down. Murray says, "Even the Governor's fellow Democrats, his partisans are saying that they think it's a bad idea by 46% to 37% who say it's a good idea."

The Governor has still not released the details of his plan to leverage toll roads for revenue, but the survey shows people don't need to know the details in order to know they dislike the concept. Murray says, "59% oppose using the toll roads, leasing them to a private company or a non-profit company, but just leasing them outside of government." Just 30% support the idea.

"58% are opposed to allowing developers to build on train stations, 53% oppose leasing the operation of the state lottery," says Murray, "and they even oppose selling the naming rights to state parks 54% to 37%."

[Calpernia]

Corzine quote of the day:

“...people in my own party (Democratic) and the other party, they all want to talk about something that I can’t be as straightforward to the public about as we should be.”

[Tired of Taxes]

Cal,

Am I understanding this one correctly: He wants to sell some government-owned property including some toll roads to private owners? If that’s his plan, I don’t know if it’s such a bad idea.

[Coleus]

what he needs to do is to abolish the authority and end the tolls. the turnpike and parkway account for only 5% of NJ’s roads, by getting rid of the payroll, their biggest expense, it wouldn’t cost any extra money to upkeep. They will then lease out the land on the GSP and make a fortune.

[leprechaun9]

..."pushed through the legislature after November's election..."

The best way to respond to Gov. Corslime is to flush every Democrap from office in the November Election!