(TRENTON) – Assemblyman Daniel Benson (D-Mercer, Middlesex), chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee, released the following statement on the Fiscal Year 2021 Operating Budget and Five-Year Capital Plan recently adopted by NJTRANSIT (NJT):
“NJTRANSIT has suffered from years of underfunding and disinvestment. Crafting responsible spending plans in the years to come will be critical, particularly as NJT faces unprecedented fiscal challenges due to the coronavirus.
“The budget and capital plan made public today are positive steps in the right direction. Investments in personnel, infrastructure, equipment, and proper COVID-19 precautions will keep the agency on target to meet the ambitious goals outlined in its ten-year strategic plan. In another strong sign of progress, for the third consecutive year, transit fares will not go up.
“That being said, we know there’s still more work to be done. NJTRANSIT was once a model of safe, reliable public transportation for the nation. We still have a ways to go to restore that high reputation. Effective and efficient communication with riders must continue to improve and reliability for commuters must remain a priority. As always, our Committee will continue to press for greater transparency and accountability from this agency, because riders deserve no less.”