Myers Slams Trenton Politician Adler for

$27 Million Fuel Tax Increase Since 2004

Points to EPA Report citing failure to use money to clean-up toxic sites

          Mount Holly, August 13, 2008-Career Trenton politician John Adler voted to increase fuel taxes by $27 million since 2004, contributing to the increased cost of home heating oil and rising gas prices at the pump, then looked the other way while a good portion of the revenues were diverted from their intended purpose of cleaning up toxic sites, and instead spent on adding more state bureaucracy, charged successful businessman and congressional candidate Chris Myers (NJ-3) today.

          Myers pointed to a recent EPA Report which criticized the NJ DEP, saying their problem was not a lack of resources, but a failure to use the resources at its disposal to implement agreements and carry out enforcement actions.

[Source: http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080619/NEWS01/806190393/1006]

          "If they aren't using the money they already have properly, then why in the world would John Adler vote to raise fuel taxes on consumers and give the NJ DEP even more taxpayer money to sit on?" asked Myers.  "It's typical Trenton dysfunction and John Adler has been a big part of it for 16 years."

          Signed into law in 2004, A-3117 (P.L. 2004. c. 50) amended what is referred to as the "Spill Act," which was passed in 1976 to prevent oil spills, but was changed in 1981 to create a statutory means to compel responsible parties to clean up all hazardous discharges.  Myers charged that most of the monies are no longer used to clean hazardous sites as the legislation intended, but wasted on bureaucracy.

          According to the Fitzgerald's Legislative Manual, the Spill Tax generated approximately $48 million from 2002-2004.  Following Adler's "Yes" vote on A-3117, the Spill Tax generated approximately $75 million from 2005-2007-a $27 million increase over that comparable time period.  The Spill Tax is projected to cost taxpayers an additional $46 million between 2008 and 2009.

          "John Adler needs to explain to the people of this congressional district why he voted for a $27 million fuel tax increase that has made it more expensive for working families and seniors on a fixed income to fill up their gas tanks and heat their homes," said Myers, who said raising taxes on refiners will result in those added costs being passed down the line as the fuel is sold to gas stations or local distributors, eventually forcing higher prices for consumers filling up their gas tank or heating their home.  "At the same time, looking the other way while the revenue his new tax generated was wasted on more state bureaucracy, instead of cleaning up toxic sites as intended."

          Myers, who released a comprehensive 13-point energy platform last week, said Adler's phony rhetoric on lowering gas prices flies in the face of his own votes in Trenton, and that the 16-year legislator should be held accountable for last week's announcement by the non-partisan Tax Foundation that New Jersey is the highest taxed state in the nation.

          "John Adler says we need to lower gas prices, but he raises taxes on fuel.  John Adler says we need to make living in New Jersey more affordable, but his 43 tax increases since 2002 have made this State anything but," said Myers.  With a bad economy and people struggling to make ends meeting, the last thing we need is a tax and spend, career Trenton politician in Congress."

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