STATEWIDE – As widely predicted, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo have released a revised toll and PATH fare proposal that sets lower increases than the hikes initially proposed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey two weeks ago.
The governors, who publicly came out against the proposed fare increases in a move many believed was orchestrated, released their revised proposal Thursday on the eve of the PA’s Board of Commissioners meeting today, at which they are to vote on the proposal.
Presumably the board, whose members are appointed by the governors of New Jersey and New York, will now consider the alternative proposal submitted by Christie and Cuomo, alongside the agency’s original recommendations.
In a joint letter dated August 18 letter addressed to the board’s chairman and vice chairman, Christie and Cuomo request that tolls and PATH fares be raised accordingly:
The current $1.75 one-way PATH fare will increase by 25 cents for
each of the next four years. This means that by 2014 a one-way PATH fare would be 2.75. The Port Authority had originally proposed that PATH fares immediately jump to $2.75 beginning next month.
Cars that use EZ Pass tags will see a toll increase of $1.50 next month. EZ Pass fees for cars will increase by 75 cents each year from December 2012 through December 2015.
Cars that pay their tolls in case will see the same increases.
However, they will be charged a $2 penalty for using cash.
Trucks that use EZ Pass tags will see an increase of $2 per axle beginning next month. They will then see a $2 increase each year from 2012 through 2015. Trucks that do not use EZ pass will be subject to the same increases. However, they will be hit with a $3 fee for paying in cash.
E. Assata Wright