The history of voter disapproval of transportation bond issues does not seem to be worrying the Whitman Administration despite. So far, the State House and NJ DOT are still mum about the projects that will be funded if voters approve a $500 million transportation bond issue on November 2^nd.

At an Alliance for Action breakfast last week billed as a forum for contractors to get information about the bond issue, Commissioner Jim Weinstein provided no details, except to repeat the bill's amended language that it would be used for "statewide transportation improvements." The original bill would have devoted all of the proceeds to repairing bridges, but was amended at the last minute to cut the bridge portion in half.) NJTransit officials also acknowledge that they don't know how much, if any, of the bond proceeds will go to transit projects. In July, the Campaign requested a list of projects or programs on which the $250 million would be spent; a DOT capital program manager coyly wrote back that a list of projects would be released after the voters approves the ballot issue in November.

This week, Assembly Transportation Committee chairman Alex DeCroce, who was told he would be provided with a list of projects when he agreed to the amendment last June, wrote to Weinstein again requesting a list or projects or programs. DeCroce noted that, "Success at the ballot will require at strong case that the proceeds from the bond will be spent on the highest priority projects and/or programs…. The amended bill continues to give me pause. Voters are increasingly concerned about the state's high level of bonded debt, and without greater specificity as to the projects or programs to be funded from this bond act, strong editorial support and the support of various stakeholders could be jeopardized." DeCroce requested that all proceeds be devoted to "system preservation," which DOT claims is its highest priority.

Among environmentalists, fear is growing that the money will be used for yet more destructive big-ticket highway projects that the Administration doesn't want to reveal, and which would force the groups to oppose the ballot question. Silent running seems to be the strategy - this bond vote is not accompanied by the slick-materials media hype about job creation and infrastructure that surrounded past transportation revenue efforts, but it seems a risky strategy to win approval for what amounts to a $250 million blank check.