Transportation Trust Fund Renewal & Gas Tax Survey

On Thursday, March 7 the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee will consider A-4011 (Calabrese), which revises the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) for a five-year period, as well as the gas tax rate, and establishes an annual fee for electric vehicles (EVs). Although a copy of the bill is not yet available to review, media reports claim that the legislation will include the following:



• An increase in the gas tax of 1.9 cents per gallon every year starting July 1, which equates to a total of 9.5 cents over five years. The current gas tax is 42.3 cents per gallon.
• Adding a $250 fee on EVs, which will go up by $10 in each of the last four years of the reauthorization. Since EVs do not use gas, these drivers have not been contributing to the Trust Fund, which is largely funded by the gas tax. This proposal comes at a time when Governor Murphy recently signed a rule banning the sale of new gasoline-powered cars beginning in 2035.
• At present, it does not seem as though any offsets to the gas tax increase are being proposed in A-4011 (Calabrese). However, in order to reach a deal on the TTF in 2016, then-Governor Christie decreased other taxes, including the state’s sales tax, to offset the gas tax increase.

The TTF is the term commonly used to refer to the State’s Transportation Capital Program, which finances ongoing investments in road, bridge and rail infrastructure throughout the state, and assesses how the gas tax is collected and at what rate. The TTF is currently set to expire and must be renewed by June 30, or all statewide transportation-infrastructure spending could stall. 

As the CCSNJ prepares for this important policy debate, one that uniquely impacts the residents and businesses of South Jersey due to our disproportionate dependency on cars, member feedback is crucial. Please take this brief seven question survey, which will take no longer than 3 minutes to complete. Your responses will help guide the CCSNJ in the weeks ahead as the TTF and gas tax are debated in Trenton.

Click here to take the CCSNJ’s survey.

CCSNJ Testifies at Senate Economic Growth Hearing

On Monday, March 3 the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey (CCSNJ), along with several other business organizations, was invited to testify at the Senate Economic Growth Committee on the current economic development landscape of the state of New Jersey.

Christina M. Renna, President & CEO represented the CCSNJ at this hearing and in her remarks pointed to the recent policy report entitled, Long Story Short: South Jersey - A Busy Policymaker’s Guide to Understanding a Misunderstood Region. Specifically, Ms. Renna noted that South Jersey is poised for growth because the region is one of the only areas of the state remaining with the space for major economic expansion. She also detailed the four top overarching issues that impact economic development in the region as a whole: 

• Lack of public transportation and transportation infrastructure
• Broadband accessibility
• Equitable incentives for South Jersey
• Shortage of housing options

Ms. Renna encouraged the Committee, which is Chaired by Senator Nilsa Cruz-Perez of New Jersey’s Fifth Legislative District, to review the CCSNJ’s report to gain a better understanding of the region and its economic development possibilities. She concluded her remarks by telling the Committee that “now is the time to look towards maximizing South Jersey’s strengths and enacting policies that will make the region, and, therefore, the entire state, a friendlier place to do business.”

Additionally, the hearing focused on the disappointing findings of the disparity study, which many members of the New Jersey Diverse Business Advisory Council were invited to speak to. In their remarks, several legislative measures were discussed, as well as best practices from other states, that could increase procurement opportunities for diverse-owned businesses.

Click here to read, Long Story Short: South Jersey - A Busy Policymaker’s Guide to Understanding a Misunderstood Region.

Please contact Christina M. Renna at crenna@chambersnj.com if you have any questions or comments.