As a so-called “thank you” to commuters who have had to deal with NJ Transit delays and disruptions all summer, Governor Murphy wants to “give back” by making this week, starting Monday through Labor Day, a week of free rides on NJ Transit.

Commuters who have already purchased a monthly ticket will receive a 25% discount on the September ticket.

The cost of the state transportation system is estimated at about $19 million.

First, a week of driving restrictions won’t change anything, even though most commuters have been impacted by service disruptions, delays, and a fare increase. Commuters will go back to work after Labor Day and face the same rising fares, service disruptions, and delays.

Second, the governor just hit businesses with a new billion-dollar tax increase to fill NJ Transit’s budget gaps. And while $19 million may not sound like much, after raising taxes on NJ businesses, it would be nice to see that money go to businesses in the form of tax credits, rather than a promotional fare exemption that provides a temporary “high” for a small number of riders during a slow week.

Classic New Jersey politics. Throwing out a gimmick to grab headlines while ignoring the real issues.

I have been advocating for monetizing NJ Transit’s assets and operations for years, and now some in the Legislature are following suit and proposing the sale of certain properties.

Again, it is common for politicians in New Jersey to take a good idea and ruin it. A one-time property sale for a quick cash infusion defeats the purpose. A deal must be negotiated to attract private capital as a long-term investment and to structure operations and budgeting to create a profitable opportunity.

We have the largest transit system in the country. Many customers make it a very attractive investment. Passengers deserve on-time trains, excellent customer service and lower costs.

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The challenge in New Jersey and across the country is that government money (YOUR money) is often spent without regard for return on investment.

For the $19 million this “holiday” costs us, there is NOTHING in return. The higher airfares remain, the tax increase on businesses remains, and there is no guarantee that the service will improve.

Instead of a political gimmick to grab headlines and score points with a few voters, how about a fare waiver to drive customers to a source of revenue for the state? Maybe free fares on Saturdays to get people to local street festivals or to get them down one of New Jersey’s many beautiful main streets to spend money at small shops?

Perhaps you could start a promotion for out-of-state visitors who want to take the train to the coast and spend money on rent, hotels and restaurants.

We need to leverage taxpayer investment to boost consumer spending and generate new tax revenues. Unfortunately, we will continue to see the same thing under the current administration in Washington and Trenton.

And again this year, most moves are expected to be out-of-state, with billions of dollars of estimated gross income moving to states with lower costs and more services.

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. All opinions expressed are Bill’s own.

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