MTR 291, NJ Voters Face Transport Reform Measure - Ballot Question Could Reduce Traffic, Sprawl -

Mobilizing the Region
Issue 291 October 23, 2000

NJ Voters Face Transport Reform Measure - Ballot Question Could Reduce Traffic, Sprawl -

In the run-up to election day, supporters of New Jersey's Transportation Trust Fund renewal bill are educating the public about the importance of Public Question #1, particularly targeting supporters of environmental causes. A question on the November 7th ballot will ask voters to allow the remaining portion of the existing gas tax and a small part of the state sales tax to be assigned to the Transportation Trust Fund, which pays for much of New Jersey's transit and highway budgets. After heavy lobbying by transportation reformers, the NJ Department of Transportation now must expand the bicycle path network, seek the Legislature's approval for new highway projects and meet quantifiable five-year goals for highway and bridge repair.

A short article by Tri-State Transportation Campaign Executive Director Janine Bauer explains these provisions, concluding that environmentalists have reason to hope that new controls on transportation spending will "help resolve traffic problems, rather than induce more traffic by laying more highway pavement." The piece has appeared in recent newsletters of the Association of NJ Environmental Commissions, the NJ Environmental Federation, and the NJ Environmental Lobby and in e-mail messages to members of the Sierra Club, Environmental Defense, and Save the Bay. The Audubon Society, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Upper Raritan Watershed plan to send the article to members next week.

Ms. Bauer is joined by prominent business leaders in urging support for Public Question #1 in a radio ad paid for by the Keep New Jersey Moving Coalition that will begin airing next week.

The challenge to the ballot question brought by the NJ League of Women Voters, which argues that voters should be asked separate questions about the earmarking of the gas tax and sales tax, has been successively struck down by the New Jersey Superior and Appeals courts. The League has appealed the case to the state Supreme Court, where justices have agreed to expedite the case and hand down a ruling prior to voting day.