More New Jersey Spending Proposed

Only a New Jersey politician could sponsor this.

Mr. Jeff “I sponsor every bill in committee” Van Drew is lobbying for the state of New Jersey to incur even more costs. Just to remind the assemblyman, the state is in serious financial shape right now.

There are two passes over Egg Harbor: the toll bridge on the Garden State Parkway and the private bridge parallel to it that runs from Beasleys Point. The Beasleys Point bridge was closed two years ago due to structural issues. The cost to repair the bridge is so great that the owners cannot do it. Thus, the bridge remains closed.

That does not please the free-spending Van Drew. He wants the state to take over the bridge and make the structural repairs. Of course, New Jersey taxpayers will pay that cost.

It’s not that we are against infrastructure repairs. We favor investing in our roads and bridges. We would rather build/repair them than a lot of proposed spending for other projects. It’s just that there is a bigger better bridge right next door.

I am certain that the traffic snarls are the main reason Van Drew is pushing.

The main requirement of government is health, safety and welfare. We’re not fulfilling that requirement if we don’t reopen that bridge.

The idea is that the Parkway backs up so much during the summer at Egg Harbor. But that is not so much the problem with the Beasleys Point bridge being closed. Vacationers are not cutting through Tuckahoe on a back road. No, this bridge merely serves the locals. And while they are inconvenienced (hell, I only found out about the closing two summers ago as I was stopped trying to get across) there are less costly remedies.

The traffic jams on the Parkway are due solely to the toll on the north side of the bridge. Eliminate the toll and the traffic flows far more freely. Doing so also provides a viable alternative to local traffic. Rather than gouge locals to keep crossing the water via the Parkway, they will then be able to navigate freely.

But Van Drew would rather everyone pay and add to the state obligation. Is this leadership?

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