Lt. Gov. Guadagno to Spadea — I’m against Christie’s gas tax increase

TRENTON — Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno said she does not support the just-approved increase in New Jersey's gas tax —b rokered by her boss, Gov. Chris Christie —  but said that the Transportation Trust Fund still needs funding.

"I have made my views known to (the governor's) staff. I do not believe in any increase in taxes for any reason. The answer is no," Guadagno told New Jersey 101.5's Bill Spadea Thursday morning.

Guadagno, who usually supports Christie's policies and statements, came under criticism by Spadea for making her first disagreement with the governor be over support for Donald Trump's presidency. Spadea had championed opposition to the gas tax, and is asking residents to "#RememberInNovember" when New Jersey legislators come up for election again next year.

She later told a caller against the tax to vote Republicans into the legislature "so we can negotiate a reasonable gas tax" and then corrected herself: "There is no such thing as a reasonable gas tax."

The Lt. Gov said that "everyone understood the TTF had to be fixed. The question was how and it had to be negotiated. If you don't like the outcome you need to replace the Democrats with Republicans."

Christie had long said he'd only accept a gas tax increase as part of an overall "tax fairness" deal. The deal, which has been approved by the legislature and he expected to sign soon, eventually eliminates the state's estate tax, and provides tax breaks for veterans and the working poor.

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