Figures show that recent toll increases are hitting Ocean and Monmouth County residents harder than anywhere else in the state. So, shore area state lawmakers are hoping to level the playing field.

10th District Republican Legislators Senator Jim Holzapfel, Assemblyman Dave Wolfe and Greg McGuckin have introduced a bill that would provide a $1,000 income tax credit to commuters who's E-ZPass expenses exceed $1,000 a year. Assemblyman McGuckin says "If you're a commuter and your paying these huge tolls, including the last toll increases, you should receive some kind of a credit for that because a portion of those tolls are being used elsewhere in the state to fix other roads and other transportation issues."

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McGuckin says according to the statistics he's obtained "two of the largest E-ZPass customer's base is from the Toms River Brick Zip codes. So, it's designed to help the commuter who has these cost day in and day out, which have been doubled essentially.

The Assemblyman says it's also meant to counteract Senate President Steve Sweeney's property tax credit proposal which he says gives less money to homeowners who pay under $10,000 a year in property taxes ... something that's pretty common in the shore area.

McGuckin says shore residents have always paid their fair share because they've always had to pay more in tolls because of their longer commute.

 

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