Why is it that after decades of highway tolls being dismantled as an archaic, inefficient system, NJ is more dependent on them than ever? They got rid of the tolls on LI's southern State Parkway in the late 70's. Even if you accept the argument that the TPK tolls pay for wear and tear from interstate through traffic, that doesn't explain the GSP tolls. And why only the TPK, why not 78 & 80 if you're trying to bleed the through traffic?

Drivers in most of this country have never seen a toll, it's mostly NE phenomenon. The only other place I've seen highway tolls is Chicago. There are clearly other ways to solve this revenue problem.

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Corzine to cite fiscal woes to local officials

Nov. 15

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine will talk state financial woes with municipal officials.

Corzine is to speak Thursday to a League of Municipalities convention in Atlantic City.

He's expected to cite fiscal problems that have left the state with mounting debt and annual budget deficits.

Corzine has been mulling plans to solve those problems by hiking highway tolls.

Lawmakers have been saying that Corzine's plan could be worth about $15 billion. The Star-Ledger of Newark reports it could bring in $16 billion.

Corzine refuses to say how much tolls may go up, but a Wall Street finance lawyer estimates Corzine would have to boost tolls 150 percent to get $15 billion.

(? 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. In the interest of timeliness, this story is fed directly from the Associated Press newswire and may contain occasional typographical errors. )