GARWOOD, N.J. (PIX11) - If Amy Pastrana-Flores has to pay more at the pump, she hopes the money will be put to good use. A proposed bill in Trenton would look to renew the state's Transportation Trust Fund, in part, through raising the gas tax.
"Any type of pricing going up is really not helping us," said Pastrana-Flores. "Our generation can't afford a lot of stuff."
"Gas is up already, so I think it's not right, bringing the gas up again," said Darwin of New York.
The bill would increase the gas tax by about 2 cents every year for five years and create a $250 fee for electric vehicles.
New Jersey's gas tax sits at just over 42 cents.
Karanjit Singh, owner of a Mobil station in Garwood, said another gas tax increase would hurt his business.
"They should look at some other reason to raise the money, not on the gas tax," said Singh.
Republicans in Trenton are working on legislation to find other ways of raising the funds, which includes getting a slice of money from electric vehicle sales.
State Senate Minority Leader Anthony Bucco said in a statement, in part, "If Republicans had been consulted regarding the Democrats' proposal, we would have had the chance to present an alternative plan which we believe is a better and smarter approach - one that honors our commitment to providing safe infrastructure, builds upon previous program success, and gives voters an option for better governance without the ‘tax first’ approach we see across the aisle.”
Some drivers, like William Lopez of Garwood, are happy to pay a little more at the pump if it means better transportation infrastructure.
"It is a small price to pay for something better that's going to stay forever," said Lopez.
One of the original bill's sponsors, Democratic Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese, said in part, "Renewing the Transportation Trust Fund is crucial for allocating the necessary financial resources to support vital projects, ensuring the safety and reliability of New Jersey's transportation infrastructure."
The original bill is set to be discussed in Trenton again on Thursday.
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