Millstone resident wants tolls abolished in N.J.

This past holiday season, I drove from New Jersey to Louisiana. The roads outside of our immediate area are well maintained, picturesque and in some areas heavily traveled. There was only one difference: there were no tolls. How can this be? (Gas taxes in other states are comparable to New Jersey: higher gas taxes in other states are not the answer.)

I, personally, will not be told by the government bureaucrats of our state that tolls exist for any other reason other than to perpetuate patronage positions and generate a small amount of revenue that is actually used for road maintenance.

Why is everyone afraid to admit the truth? I know it, your readers and viewers know it, the governor knows it, and even the toll collectors themselves know it: toll collection is wasteful, dangerous and damaging the environment, not to mention thousands of hours of idling traffic and immeasurable mental anguish.

Why do we continue to let the government bureaucrats of this state take our hard-earned money? The only possible answer is that people trust government. We want to believe what government officials tell us. Unfortunately, government officials are not always right. As citizens we become apathetic, and problems continue to fester. There are alternatives to any problem. Let’s not be told there are not.

The public relations director of the Garden State Parkway, Dennis Ignolia, recently said, "You can get rid of tolls, but you cannot get rid of the things tolls pay for."

Mr. Ignolia, the thing tolls pay for are the patronage jobs that exist!

Citizens should urge local state legislators to join the growing coalition that now exists in Trenton. There are senators and assembly members working at this moment to help abolish wasteful tolls in New Jersey.

Let’s do what is right; take down the tolls!

John Millett

Secretary

Citizens Against Tolls

Millstone