Coalition formed to address Transportation Trust Fund

A coalition made up of business, transportation, labor and consumer advocates has been created to address the soon-to-be bankrupt Transportation Trust Fund (TTF), which provides money for various road and bridge projects throughout the state.

On Tuesday, the ForwardNJ Coalition laid out its core mission, which is to educate the public on the need to replenish the TTF with a constitutionally dedicated, recurring revenue stream.

“It impacts everybody. There’s no bigger issue right covering every citizen of New Jersey than replenishing the Transportation Trust Fund, said Tom Bracken, chairman of the ForwardNJ Coalition and president of the State Chamber of Commerce.

To fund the TTF, the group lists options such as increasing the gas tax, dedicating online gambling revenue, raising car rental fees and fully dedicating surplus funds for the Motor Vehicle Commission. These are topics of discussion, not recommendations, according to Bracken.

“I want to make very clear we are not advocating for any specific funding source,” Bracken said.

ForwardNJ also released a report focusing on the needs of New Jersey’s transportation system and listed a menu of choices for long-term funding solutions. The report can be found at www.forwardnewjersey.com.

Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Secaucus) issued a statement following the release of the ForwardNJ report.

“When I first began talking about this problem earlier this year, I was hoping for a thoughtful and academic discussion focused only on facts, with the key fact being the impending insolvency of New Jersey’s Transportation Trust Fund. I also welcomed input from everyone,” said Prieto. “With those goals in mind, we’ll review this report thoroughly and consider its findings. As we move toward our upcoming hearings on the state’s transportation crisis, I expect it will certainly play a role in our discussion.”