D-14 Assembly hopefuls oppose sale of toll roads
BY CHRIS GAETANO
Staff Writer

"Over the past 50 years, New Jersey built these roadways for the public's use and with the public's money; they must remain in public hands." - Linda Greenstein District 14

Local Democratic and Republican Assembly candidates have both declared their unequivocal opposition to the monetization of state toll roads in order to address New Jersey's growing debt.

In statements sent by both Democrats Linda Greenstein and Wayne DeAngelo and Republicans Tom Goodwin and Adam Bushman, all four legislative candidates from District 14 (Middlesex/Mercer) have sworn that they will oppose any efforts to sell or lease the state's toll roads, saying that they have heard massive disapproval of the concept voiced by their constituents.

"As I knock on doors, I continue to hear the same message: voters oppose selling the New Jersey Turnpike because it will lead to more toll increases," said Goodwin, of Hamilton.

Greenstein pointed out her hesitance to turn public costs into private profits, saying that taxpayers have sunk so much money into the roads already that she could not imagine that putting their operations into the hands of a private company could be a good thing.

"Any plan that proposes giving control of New Jersey's toll roads to a private profit-seeking firm is an absolute non-starter," said Greenstein, of Plainsboro. "Over the past 50 years, New Jersey built these roadways for the public's use and with the public's money; they must remain in public hands."

Gov. Jon Corzine has said that he wishes to address the state's mounting debt through the sale or lease of assets such as the turnpike or the lottery. This idea has received widespread skepticism from the constituency and, by extension, the Legislature. At least one section of the latest state budget deals specifically with this prospect. Section 75 authorizes unlimited funding for the governor to explore the possibility of asset monetization through legal and engineering studies, as well as "any other costs determined necessary."

Greenstein's vote against removing this item was perceived by Republicans as her being in favor of the governor's plan.

"Ms. Greenstein should have followed the lead of Assemblyman [Bill] Baroni in voting to strike from the state budget the provisions to sell public assets," Goodwin said.

Greenstein's campaign has strenuously denied this, with campaign manager John Duthie saying that her vote should not be interpreted as support for the sale or lease of toll roads, but rather that she is willing to hear Corzine out.

"The language in the budget was for preparatory expenses, and anyone to say otherwise is a complete and outright lie," said Duthie.

Greenstein and DeAngelo have both said that they will vote against any plan that potentially could place the New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway or Atlantic City Expressway under private or foreign ownership - either before or after Election Day.

"Handing over our state's vital infrastructure to any company whose primary concern is their stockholders is an open invitation to higher costs for commuters," DeAngelo, of Hamilton, said. "Our highways should be operated with the interests of New Jersey's motorists, not global corporate interests, as the paramount concern."

District 14 includes the Middlesex County municipalities of Cranbury, Jamesburg, Monroe, Plainsboro and South Brunswick, and the Mercer County municipalities of Hamilton and West Windsor.