Repeal effort is underway as New Jerseyans endure higher costs.
Gas Tax Hike Effect Felt by Businesses and Consumers
The gas tax hike passed by
lawmakers and signed into law by Gov. Christie in October went into effect Nov.
1, and the effects are already being felt.
Fox Business reported that the tax
increase—from 14.5 cents to 37.5 cents—gave New Jersey the dubious honor of
having the seventh highest gas tax (up from the second lowest). For regular
commuters and small businesses that are vehicle-dependent, monthly costs are
already up, and there will be a ripple effect as these costs are passed along
to consumers. For example, Uber has already increased fares by 2 cents per mile
in order to compensate for the higher costs its 13,000 New Jersey drivers are
paying, reported the Asbury Park
Press.
Additionally, two lawmakers are
already fighting the new law. Sens. Christopher “Kip” Bateman and Mike Doherty
introduced a bill to repeal the gas tax increase less than a week after Gov.
Christie signed it, reports NJ.com. Although the effort is expected to
fail, at this writing, nearly 19,000 people had signed an online petition in
support of the repeal.