The New Jersey Assembly has passed a transportation funding bill that even its supporters find fault with.

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Lawmakers passed the bill Monday by a 71-7 vote with one abstention. It would authorize spending about $1.2 billion per year over the next four years to fix roads and deal with other transportation issues.

The measure also calls for borrowing up to $3.5 billion to pay for the work. Annual debt payments would be about $300 million.

Lawmakers say they would rather pay for more or all of the projects without borrowing.

Some transportation advocacy groups say the state could create stable funding by raising the gasoline tax. But that idea that has not made it far in Trenton.

The Senate was due to vote on the proposal later Monday.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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