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Separating Commissioner of Transportation and NJT Chair

Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 10:27 am
by Sallijane
I just Tweeted the following; it is something we have discussed in the past, so I was comfortable suggesting it by Tweet:

time to separate positions of commissioner of transportation and chairperson of @NJTransit board—there is clearly a conflict of interest between toll roads and mass transit; it should have been part of “reform legislation”—more important than 6pm meetings!
https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/19/ ... t-funding/

Here is Ms Gutierrez-Scaccetti’s quote from the article:
But Gutierrez-Scaccetti quickly responded by calling New Jersey’s toll roads the “lifeblood” of the state economy as they serve commerce related to ports in the north and south of the state and other important sectors of the economy.

“The funding for New Jersey Turnpike’s capital plan is slim,” said Gutierrez-Scaccetti, a former executive director of the highway agency.

“There’s still work to do,” she added, citing projects in South Jersey and bridge repairs as examples. “If I felt the turnpike was in the position to provide that money to transit, I would say ‘no issue.’”

“Will $25 million more make a difference to New Jersey Transit? Not really,” Gutierrez-Scaccetti said.
Seems that the board chairperson is pretty dismissive of NJTransit!

Re: Separating Commissioner of Transportation and NJT Chair

Posted: Sat May 11, 2019 5:36 pm
by Dave Alan
That is one of the big flaws in the original legislation from 1979.

I had mentioned the conflict and proposed restructuring but, as with everything else I recommended, the legislators did not bother to listen.

DAVID PETER ALAN, Chair

Re: Separating Commissioner of Transportation and NJT Chair

Posted: Sat May 25, 2019 10:17 am
by Sallijane
At our last meeting, we voted to pass a resolution on this subject. I will be editing it, with others, and it will be ready for the June NJT board meeting (on the 12th, but we are not sure if it is morning or evening).