NJ Poll: Another Rejection Of A Hike In State Gas Tax
by KYW's David Madden
HAMDEN, CT (CBS) -- A new poll of New Jersey voters offers some interesting insight on how they'd prefer to address a looming crisis in the Garden State: replenishing the Transportation Trust Fund, which is quickly running out of money.
Democrats in the legislature know they'll have a hard time getting Governor Chris Christie to go along with a hike in the gas tax. Quinnipiac University asked almost two thousand people about that idea.
"Legislators have to deal with the budget as is and the word around Trenton is they're going to swallow this," poll spokesman Mickey Carroll told KYW Newsradio. "But New Jersey voters, 54 to 42 say no."
And they also oppose a plan to tie a reduction in the state inheritance tax to a hike in the gas levy by a 52 to 36% margin. Taken separately, the poll found cutting the so called Death tax favored by a slim 49 to 45% differential.
Carroll sees little wiggle room, though, when it comes to the TTF. "Legislators don't like it. The people don't like it. But maybe it's going to happen."
He thinks legislators will work something out on the gas tax, seeing little other option to pay for future road and transportation projects.
