It costs $7 to cross some bridges and tunnels in the New Jersey/New York area. This money is intended for the maintenance of our infrastructures. Some of these bridges and tunnels were built as early as the 1920s and 1930s and have been paid for hundreds of times over.

This week we learned at least $165 million of the funds being collected will be used to finance an arena in Newark — an arena that will generate profit for corporations and their owners. These corporations have no relation to road maintenance or the toll money being collected. Apparently, our government is collecting more revenue than is necessary to maintain the bridges, tunnels and roads, and cannot find anything better to do with the surplus. The agreement to finance the arena with the toll revenue is ludicrous.

We are not attempting to deny Senator/Mayor Sharpe James and the city of Newark their arena. However, what we oppose is the proposal for how it will be funded.

Here’s an idea: let’s improve safety, the environment and the mental and economic well-being of our citizens by removing tolls from our highways. Shouldn’t the millions of travelers who suffer at tollbooths each day take precedent over "new" corporate welfare rolls?

John Millett

secretary

Citizens Against Tolls

Millstone