A year ago, a proposal to hike New Jersey's gasoline tax every single year to pay for road and bridge overhauls would have been considered absurd. However, while some state lawmakers seek an immediate jump of about 23 cents, shore Senator Sam Thoimpson (R-12) thinks that his alternative has a much stronger chance of gaining support.

Sen. Sam Thompson with Tom Mongelli, Townsquare Media
Sen. Sam Thompson with Tom Mongelli, Townsquare Media
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The Republican who represents parts of Ocean, Monmouth, Burlington and Middlesex Counties today submitted a proposal, S-2352, that he previously outlined on WOBM-AM's "Ask The Senator" - a motor fuel increase of 11 cents per gallon in fiscal 2017, and subsequent annual increases of two cents per gallon.

Watch our Youtube video of the program, in which he outlines the basics.

Still to be brought into the discussion is the issue of return on investment - examining why the cost of repairing New Jersey roads, bridges and rails exists on the levels that it does, and how to reduce it.

The tax on liquefied petroleum gas would rise five-and-a-half cents per gallon in fiscal 2017, and increase a penny per gallon annually thereafter.

Thompson estimates that his method would infuse the depleted Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) with $1,800,000,000 in fiscal 2017, and add $50,000,000 each subsequent year.

"Every few years the TTF runs out of money and short-term politics prevents the enactment of a reasonable long-term solution to transportation funding," said Thompson in prepared remarks. "My proposal will create a stable source of permanent funding and take the politics out of funding safe roads and bridges."

Terms of the Thompson bill require that all revenue raised through the motor fuels tax go to the TTF for infrastructure maintenance and improvement - not diverted to unrelated programs.

"The price of gas fluctuates by 2 cents per gallon nearly every day, so a 2 cent increase in the gas tax each year wouldn't even be noticed," Thompson said in a mantra that he's repeated for months.

"Let's solve our transportation problem once and for all. Let's do it in a clean way that doesn't link together other issues that shouldn't be part of this discussion."

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