Citizens Against Tolls

Updated 5/1/08

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Welcome to www.EndTolls.com, home of Citizens Against Tolls, Inc.
Our goal: To remove tolls from NJ, starting with the Garden State Parkway

Tolls are symbolic for everything that got us in such financial trouble in the first place - big, expensive bureaucracy where little is needed. Tolls are the least efficient, most expensive, most polluting, and most aggravating way to pay for a road. It costs over $70 million annually just to collect tolls on the Parkway. The obvious answer is to come up with an alternate method to fund Parkway operations without the outrageous costs associated with toll collecting. But our legislators have been reluctant to do so, which is why CAT was formed.

To reach this goal, we need your help. Sign our petition, write your politicians, write letters to the editor, write columns, attend our meetings, tell a friend, or contribute to CAT to help us spread the word. Politicians will only listen if enough of us speak up. So please, take a moment to help us make NJ a better place.

Click here to sign the Online Petition

NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Manasquan, NJ, May 1, 2008 –

"It is unbelievable to Citizens Against Tolls (CAT) supporters that legislators and the Governor still don’t understand the folly of relying on the toll tax to cure the State’s financial woes. We can’t figure out if this is due to blind ignorance or sheer stubbornness – or both!" said Ray Neveil, CAT President. "The latest scheme put forth by Sen. Ray Lesniak (D, Union) again foolishly relies on toll tax increases – the most inefficient and expensive of all taxes to collect," continued Neveil. "Not only would Lesniak require toll tax increases, but he takes it even one step further and advocates the institution of a toll tax on routes 78 and 80. This goes beyond anything that even resembles government efficiency" said Neveil, "but we suspect the prospect of more, fat government contracts to politically- friendly firms who would build new toll structures and the prospect of more bonding issuance by politically-friendly financial houses may be part of the Senator's motivation," continued Neveil.

“We are not sure where Gov. Corzine stands on Lesniak's proposal, but we repeat again what we have repeatedly suggested to the Governor and legislators: First – cut government spending and begin a comprehensive and independent audit to target existing government waste. Then institute an increase in the gas tax and Constitutionally dedicate those funds to transportation and infrastructure needs. Third, temporarily increase the existing sales and income tax and dedicate those temporary increases to reducing State debt. Such increases in the sales and income taxes would be legislatively "sunset" to end when the debt level is reduced appropriately, Neveil said.

"It is heartening to read in news accounts that Sen. President Codey (D, Essex) is not supportive of any increases in the toll tax. He apparently has heard the citizens of New Jersey loud and clear on this issue," continued Neveil. "Perhaps he and others who are informed can work to convince others who just don't seem to get it," added Neveil. "It’s really quite simple, said the citizen advocate leader, "any interested legislator and the Governor, too, can learn all about it on our web site, www.endtolls.com” concluded Neveil.

CONTACTS:
John Millett

Past Press Releases

Gov. Corzine cries foul when NY tries to raise tolls for out-of-state drivers (4/14/08)

CAT questions wisdom of Governor Corzine's Monetization Plan (1/9/08).

CAT expresses concern over Governor Corzine's push to sell state assets (7/23/07).

CAT Officials air concerns about Gov. Corzine's plan to lease the Toll Roads (6/19/07).

Fiery fatal crash at the Egg Harbor Parkway (5/30/07).

MONETIZATION
Dead or just hibernating?
...We shall see.

Stop the gimmicks and borrowing, cut spending by reducing wasteful bureaucracy, and lower overall taxes. How? Don't monetize the tolls, ELIMINATE THEM!

Click here for information about Monetization

FACT: Eliminating tolls is the ONLY plan that will lower
our overall tax burden by reducing bureaucracy.

Click here to sign the Online Petition

Why End Tolls?
Because...

Billions of dollars are wasted collecting tolls - That buys a lot of political patronage jobs!

Tolls are dangerous - Accidents are over 4 times more likely to occur near Parkway toll plazas.

Tolls increase congestion, pollution, and aggravation - Countless hours and fuel are wasted each and every year.

Tolls are unfair! We are NOT asking for someone else's taxes to pay for the Parkway - we're only asking that PARKWAY commuters taxes go to the Parkway. Stop spending Parkway driver's taxes on roads they don't use!

Why the Parkway?

Because the Parkway has the worst toll collection system. It doesn't make sense to place barriers every 10 miles on a high speed super highway designed to move cars.

Why Now?

Because the sooner we do, the sooner we end all of the above! So please help us End Tolls on the Parkway now!

Heard enough?

...OR, if you believe tolls are a GOOD way to pay for roads, click on the link below and let us know. If you really think tolls are so great, why not MORE tolls? Click here if you think tolls are a GOOD way to pay for roads.

...OR, if you are undecided and need more information, or looking for ways to help us eliminate tolls, we are confident that you will find all of your answers on our web site. And if you still have doubts or questions afterwards, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Q: How many people does it take to collect 35¢?
A: On the Parkway, all of these...

People Required to Collect Parkway Tolls:
Executives-12, Collectors-500, Supervisors-83 + E-ZPass Violations Bureau*: Service Reps-169, "Quality Coaches"-18, Managers-4 + E-ZPass Customer Service*: Service Reps-63, Supervisors-5, Managers-6 + E-ZPass Maintenance-? + Tollbooth Maintenance-? + Parkway Headquarters Force-? ...You get what you pay for!
*Also serves the Turnpike and Atlantic City Expressway
TOTAL - 860 (plus "?" items) !

INFORMATION - Your toll information headquarters.

- Toll Costs - How much do we waste paying for our roads with tolls? A lot! ($100,000+ salaries)
- Safety: Tolls & Accidents - Study by Ed Heeren. The Parkway would be safer without tolls.
- Financial Plan - CAT's progressive toll elimination plan.
- E-ZPass - Is it the answer, or just a way to keep tolls on the New Jersey landscape?
- High Speed E-ZPass - Another promise, another boondoggle, another waste of $millions.
- Gas Tax - What's the best way to pay for roads? It certainly isn't tolls.
- In the News - Toll news stories. "All I know is what I read in the papers".
- President's Desk - Updates from CAT President Ray Neveil.
- CAT News - Recent announcements and meeting information about CAT.
- Toll Toons - Toll cartoons. What's news without funny pages?

REASON - Reason, logic, debate, and common sense.

- Question of FAIR - Tolls are NOT as fair as some people want you to believe.
- Tolls = WA$TE - Waste, waste, and even more waste. Where will it end?
- Pro Toll Myths -Debunking the arguments used by toll advocates.
- More Tolls? - Think tolls are fair? Think tolls lower taxes? Then why not MORE!
- Debate - "Road Warriors" debate between Star Ledger and NJ Alliance for Action
- A Taxing Question - Our response to Fran Wood's pro-toll Star Ledger column.
- NJTOLLS - Our response to NJ Alliance for Action's pro-toll web site.

POLITICS - CAT report card: Who supports tolls?

- Governor - What do you want in a Governor?
- Legislature - Keeping track of who is for and against tolls. Great voting guide!
- NJ's Budget Woes - Is this really a good time to remove tolls? ABSOLUTELY!
- Hall of Shame - Columnists, editors, politicians, etc. who are embarrassingly wrong.
- Hall of Fame - Columnists, editors, politicians, etc. who speak out against tolls.
- Political Email Humor - An email joke that is eerily applicable to our politicians.

HELP CAT - How you can help us eliminate tolls.

- Contribute - We are all volunteer, but we do have expenses. Please help us continue the fight.

- Sign the Online Petition to remove tolls from the GSP. To be presented to the Governor.
- Print & Send Petition - Print out a petition, collect signatures, and send it back to us.
- Email Friends - We'll send your friends a short email message about CAT.
- Write Letters - Send letters and email to politicians and newspapers.
- Write Columns - Columnists, please help! You are extremely important to us.
- Bumper Sticker - Got free space on your bumper? Help spread the word.
- Link To Us - Add a link and/or a CAT banner to your web site.
- Poster - Print out and post a CAT poster.

FEEDBACK - Questions, comments, criticisms, etc.

- Tolls Forum - Got a question? Post it on our forum.
- Comments - Some of the MANY comments included with online signatures.
- To the Editor - The people are speaking, but are politicians listening to us?
- Survey - For Parkway commuters. How do YOU feel about tolls?
- Toll Poll - Remove tolls? More tolls? Name toll plazas after politicians? Let us know.

CONTACT CAT

- Links - To our friends and allies web pages.

President -

Secretary -

Government Liaison -

Webmaster -

Phone -

732 918-9184