With tolls increasing today at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the chair of New Jersey's Assembly Transportation Committee says commuters will suffer.

Spencer Platt, Getty Images
Spencer Platt, Getty Images
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“The Port Authority is an agency that asks more of New Jersey’s commuters to run their agency than the State of New Jersey asks of most of its residents to fund all of state government,” stated Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski (D -Middlesex), Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the New Jersey Assembly Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee.

“When a public agency imposes such a great financial burden on New Jersey commuters, it should be accountable and fully transparent in its operations. Unfortunately, the Port Authority’s commitment to both is woefully lacking.”

For a daily commuter using PA NY NJ crossings 50 weeks a year and using EZ Pass at peak hours, annual commuting costs now amount to $2562.50. According to the most recent Statistics of Income report from the New Jersey Department of the Treasury, state residents reporting New Jersey Gross Income between $75,000 and $100,000 a year paid an average of $1750 in state income taxes. The report also states that over 80% of New Jersey Income Tax filers reported income below $100,000.

The PANYNJ approved a five-year plan for raising commuter tolls and PATH fares in August 2011, which also includes additional fare hikes in each December of the next three years.

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