With the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s (PANYNJ) most recent toll hike, daily commuters using PANYNJ crossings continue to pay more in tolls than most New Jersey residents pay in income taxes to the state.
“The Port Authority is an agency that asks more of New Jersey’s commuters to run their agency than the State of New Jersey asks of most of its residents to fund all of state government,” stated Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski (D -Middlesex), Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the New Jersey Assembly Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee. “When a public agency imposes such a great financial burden on New Jersey commuters, it should be accountable and fully transparent in its operations. Unfortunately, the Port Authority’s commitment to both is woefully lacking.”
For a daily commuter using PANYNJ crossings 50 weeks a year and using EZ Pass at peak hours, annual commuting costs now amount to $2562.50. According to the most recent Statistics of Income report from the New Jersey Department of the Treasury, state residents reporting New Jersey Gross Income between $75,000 and $100,000 a year paid an average of $1750 in state income taxes. The report also states that over 80% of New Jersey Income Tax filers reported income below $100,000.
The PANYNJ approved a five-year plan for raising commuter tolls and PATH fares in August 2011, which also includes additional fare hikes in each December of the next three years. The Department of Treasury report, which was issued this past summer, calculates income and tax data based on income tax returns filled in 2011 for the tax year 2010. It is available online here. TLS.
These tolls are crazy! A round trip into Brooklyn costs $50 already. How much more can they go up. The costs goes up, and the salaries go down. The country is in for a big one.
This is great, now the Democrats will raise the income tax to keep up with PANYNJ.
Very true amd really insane, and our high property taxes probably has to do with this!!
Mr. Wisniewski – I have a question – What are YOU going to do about that? You are an elected official who is supposed to represent the people of the state.
this assumes single commuters – carpool or take mass transportation!!
Hey #4 John S. Wisniewski is a Democrat what do you think he will? He will tax and spend till the problem goes away by its self.
just thought id point out that the pic you put up is of the verrazano bridge which dosent belong to port authority!
Create jobs in NJ so that people won’t have to commute to NY.I’m on unemployment now.Most of the jobs the NEW JERSEY DOL sends me to help in my job search are in NY.And let me add that when I do find my NY job I will paying income tax to NY not NJ.