Dreamt He Spoke to Gov. Christie

To The Editor:
I had a dream. I dreamt that I spoke to Gov. Chris Christie and he agreed that tolls are inefficient because of the huge cost to collect them and due to the loss of matching federal highway funds, which toll roads aren’t eligible for. He also agreed that tolls are unfair and represent double taxation (yes, tolls are taxes) since drivers on toll roads also pay a gasoline tax, and because excess toll revenue is used for other state operations.
Also, even those who don’t use toll roads are affected because the hundreds of millions of dollars a year that the trucking industry pays in tolls necessarily get passed on to consumer products. He then agreed that the elimination of tolls on the New Jersey Turnpike, the Garden State Parkway and the Atlantic City Expressway will result in a cost reduction of over $400 million a year since toll collection expenses would no longer be needed and because of the in-flow of matching federal highway funds.
He also agreed that this would be one tax reduction which would actually improve the quality of service because without toll booths, there would be fewer accidents, less air pollution, a reduction in wasted gasoline and less road congestion resulting in drivers spending more time with their families. In addition, he agreed that the loss of toll revenue could be made up by a mere 7.2 cents per gallon increase in the gasoline tax to fund road upkeep for the former toll roads, consistent with the road upkeep funding for current toll-free roads. This increase would be paid by all drivers, thus essentially eliminating the current subsidy drivers on toll roads pay due to the gasoline tax, which is not used for toll roads.
Imagine driving a 25 miles-per-gallon car the full length of the New Jersey Turnpike and only spending an additional 34 cents in the gasoline tax vs. $9.05 for tolls. If only dreams would come true.
BOB AHLERS
Lakewood