Christie Calls On NJ Senate President To Support Transportation Funding Bill
TRENTON, NEW JERSEY (CBS) -- New Jersey governor Chris Christie says the Garden State is not facing a crisis because it still doesn't have a new transportation funding bill in place.
During a wide-ranging press conference in Trenton on Tuesday, the governor called on Senate President Steve Sweeney to put aside the political rhetoric and work with his administration and the assembly to resolve their differences over a gas tax and road program.
Christie said the bill the assembly passed is built on tax fairness, and he believes the differences with the senate are in no way insurmountable.
"The scenario to get out of it is that people have to get into a room and negotiate and everyone is going to have to give a little. It's the way it always works, so this is no different or no more critical or no bigger crisis than other things we've dealt with before," he said.
The Assembly passed a 23-cents-a-gallon hike in the gas tax with a companion 1 percent reduction in the sales tax. The measure was sent to the Senate where it has been stalled.
Christie said it's time for Sweeney to come to the table to negotiate a settlement with his administration and the Assembly.
"I already said I would support a bill, came out publicly with the Speaker supporting a bill that included a substantial gas tax increase. But it also represented tax fairness for the people of New Jersey with a substantial cut in the sales tax."
He said Sweeney's statements claiming the governor's support of Donald Trump could hold up a resolution of the matter until after the November election makes no sense.
