Dear NJPIRG member,
There are certain things that we shouldn’t sell to private companies—and in my book, the Turnpike and the Parkway top that list. We have to be able to operate the central arteries of our state in the public interest.

A few months ago, I asked all of our members to send me your stories about the Turnpike and the Parkway, to help us in our campaign to protect our toll roads. The stories we received were personal, and one thing was clear—the Turnpike and the Parkway are a critical part of our lives. That’s why the fate of those roads is an issue I’ll be watching closely as we approach election day in November.

In the winter, when we first heard about the idea, our staff and I looked into deals in other states and became worried about what would happen to the Turnpike and the Parkway—it seemed like the lure of dollars for a quick-fix for our budget problems, but get New Jersey stuck in a deal that would hurt us for decades.

In June, we got a promising sign that Gov. Corzine was listening to all the public fears. He committed to keep the public involved in the process, and took privatization off the table.

In a national context, this is a big deal, but we all know that broad principles aren’t the same as a detailed plan, and that’s what we’re still missing.

Sincerely,

Allison Cairo
Executive Director