There are currently two initiatives before the Governor and the Legislature which will remove tolls from the Garden State Parkway without serious loss of revenue and/or services. They are:

The C.A.T. Plan (available on this web site); and,

Assembly Bill No. 3785 (Introduced June 16, 2003)

So far, the Governor and many legislators have chosen to ignore both of these options, choosing instead to continue to degrade the public health, safety and welfare - precious entities which they all swore to protect in the respective Oaths of Office.

Assembly Bill No. 3785 would require that, not later than one year after the NJ Highway Authority is abolished or one year after the effective date of this act, whichever is later, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority shall cease collecting tolls on the Garden State Parkway and implement a plan to remove all toll barriers within three years. (The particulars for accomplishing this are detailed in the bill which can be read in its entirety on the Legislature's web site, www.njleg.state.nj.us. (Click on "Current Bills").)

C.A.T. commends Assemblyman Alex DeCroce (R; Morris) for his willingness to change his mind on this issue and be one of the Prime Sponsors of A-3785. The Co-Prime Sponsor is Asw. Rose Marie Heck (R; Bergen) who is leading the movement to form a legislative Task Force on Oversight and Accountability to focus on the abuses connected with the recent merger of the NJ Highway Authority (Parkway) and the NJ Turnpike Authority. There are 25 co-sponsors who have signed on to A-3785. The following is a list of those Assembly representatives who stand in support of our cause:

ASSEMBLY BILL NO. 3785

Prime Sponsors:

Assemblyman Alex DeCroce ( R ) District #26 - Parts of Morris and Passaic counties
Assemblywoman Rose Marie Heck ( R ) District #38 - Part of Bergen County

Co-Sponsors :

Joseph Azzolina ( R ) District #13 - Parts of Middlesex and Monmouth counties
Stephen Altamuro ( R ) District #4 - Parts of Camden and Gloucester counties
Christopher (Kip) Bateman ( R ) #16 - Parts of Morris and Somerset counties
Francis Bodine ( R ) District #8 - Part of Burlington County
Jon M. Bramnick ( R ) District #21 - Parts of Essex, Morris, Somerset & Union Counties
Michael Patrick Carroll ( R ) District #25 - Part of Morris
Larry Chatzidakis ( R ) District #8 - Part of Burlington County
Kirk W. Conover ( R ) District #2 - Part of Atlantic County
Steve Corodemus ( R ) District #11 - Part of Monmouth County
Ronald Dancer ( R ) District 30 - Part of Mercer, Monmouth & Ocean Counties
Mike Doherty ( R ) District #23 - all of Warren County; part of Hunterdon County
Rafael J. Fraguela ( R ) District #33 - part of Hudson County
Guy Gregg ( R ) District #24 - all of Sussex Co., parts of Hunterdon & Morris Counties
James W. Holzapfel (R ) District #10 - parts of Monmouth & Ocean Counties
Sean T. Kean ( R ) District #11 - part of Monmouth County
Joseph R. Malone ( R ) District #30 - Part of Mercer, Monmouth & Ocean Counties
Alison L. McHose ( R ) District #24 - all of Sussex Co.; parts of Hunterdon & Morris
Richard A. (Rick) Merkt ( R ) District #25 - part of Morris County
Dr. Eric Munoz ( R ) District #21 - parts of Essex, Morris, Somerset & Union Counties
Kevin J. O'Toole ( R ) District #40 - parts of Bergen, Essex & Passaic Counties
Joseph Pennacchio ( R ) District #26 - Parts of Morris & Passaic Counties
John E. Rooney ( R ) District #39 - part of Bergen County
Samuel D. Thompson ( R ) District #13 - parts of Middlesex & Monmouth Co.
Charlotte Vandervalk ( R ) District #39 - part of Bergen County
David W. Wolfe ( R ) District #10 - Parts of Monmouth & Ocean Counties

At this time, there is no Senate counterpart of Assembly Bill No. 3785. However, C.A.T. representatives have met with Senate John O. Bennett ( R ) District #12 (parts of Monmouth and Mercer Counties) and it is expected that he will sponsor a Senate version of the bill when the Legislature re-convenes post election. He has also pledged to work to establish the Legislative Task Force on Oversight and Accountability.

Other members of the Senate who have consistently been supportive of the effort to eliminate Parkway tolls are:

Anthony R. Bucco ( R ) District #25 - Part of Morris County
Dr. Gerald Cardinale ( R ) District #39 - Park of Bergen County
Robert W. Singer ( R ) District #30 - Parts of Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth & Ocean

If you do not see your district legislator listed above, it is urgent that you contact him/her and make it known that the removal of Parkway tolls is an urgent matter and that you expect their support. If you are in doubt as to who your Assembly and/or Senate representatives are, please check the web site, www.njleg.state.nj.us, or email C.A.T.'s Government Liaison, Phyllis Elston (or call 732-974-4222) for assistance.

With the Governor abandoning his campaign promise to remove Parkway tolls, it is obvious that the "party line" is being held by Democrats and this is unacceptable. A bipartisan effort is needed to accomplish this goal. Every responsible Legislator AND THE GOVERNOR should be held accountable and should be working to end the toll madness and stop the endangerment of our health and welfare and the massive waste of taxpayers' dollars that Parkway tolls represent. The merger of the NJ Highway Authority and the NJ Turnpike Authority has done nothing to accomplish this goal. It is long past time to stop ignoring the need in favor of continued Pay-For-Play contracts and unlimited Pork Barrel projects which are an inseparable part of the Parkway toll "machine".