Transportation Spending Bill Advances

New Jersey lawmakers have advanced a bill to do road construction and other transportation projects despite lawmakers' misgivings about borrowing to pay for it.

The Assembly's budget committee approved a bill Thursday that is identical to one advanced on Monday by the Senate transportation committee.

The bills authorize the state to borrow up to $3.5 billion over the next four years to pay for transportation projects totaling about $1.2 billion per year.

Lawmakers say they would prefer to pay for projects in their entirety each year rather than borrow.

Some advocates say the state needs to increase its gas tax to pay for transportation projects.

The bill was advanced though Republican Assemblyman Jay Webber said he fears it may be unconstitutional to borrow without a vote of the public.