What's next with Democrats' gas tax plan to end N.J. road construction shutdown?

[TexasTowelie]

TRENTON — The state Senate could vote as early as Aug. 1 on a plan to raise the gas tax and restart more than 1,000 idling road, bridge and rail construction projects across the state.

Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson) announced Friday they were joining together on a slightly revised proposal to raise the tax on gasoline sold in New Jersey by 23 cents a gallon and offer several tax breaks, big and small.

The proposal is similar to one the Legislature was moving toward approving last month, before Gov. Chris Christie struck a deal with the Assembly to cut the sales tax by one percentage point instead.

The competing plans left the Transportation Trust Fund without a new source of revenue when it expired at the end of June. Officials have said it contains only enough money to continue operating through early August, and Christie ordered a statewide work stoppage to ration what little is left.

Read more: http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/07/whats_next_with_dem_gas_tax_plan_to_end_constructi.html