Regarding the recent article, “These 3 N.J. bridges are switching to cashless toll collecting,” referring to the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, as of June 17:
Is the elimination of cash tolls at these bridges (New Hope-Lambertville Route 202, Portland-Columbia Routes 611, 46, 94, and Milford-Montague Route 206) something people have demanded? If not, who proposed restricting them to electronic and toll-by-plate mail payment?
Take out a dollar bill and read the words, “This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private.” Does the the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission not accept this nation’s own currency?
When bills are mailed to drivers who do not have E-Z Pass, does that mean taxpayers pay postage for both that and the return envelope? If not, the billed driver must pay for postage when sending in the check, which makes for another toll increase.
E-Z Pass tolls are lower, but fees for the program are up to $36 a year, an expense that hits low-income drivers hardest. Construction of these once-free bridges was funded by state governments through taxes, and the bridge commission, which now owns them, is charging users a second tax with these tolls, and now wants to force this third expense on them.
Keep cash tolls.
Jim LaRegina, Woodbridge
Don’t sentence Trump before November election result
I am opposed to Donald Trump, but I’m among many who are not reasonably assured the New York City criminal case against him wasn’t a case of politically selective prosecution. With Trump as a candidate, the 2024 election is expected to be decided by extremely slim pluralities in a few states, as have recent presidential elections.
After a jury found Trump guilty of 34 felony counts, Judge Juan Merchan scheduled the sentencing for July 11, just four days before the Republican National Convention starts. Election Day is Nov. 5.
Announcing Trump’s sentence before that date would have some effect on the convention, and even more effect on the general election.
If Merchan’s sentence and the date it starts hinders Trump’s ability to travel and campaign, many undecided and “soft support” voters will be more likely to choose Trump, because they, too, are concerned about the selective prosecution issue.
I’d prefer if the judge were to refrain from doing anything that could affect the November election outcome. He could continue Trump’s bail with conditions that would not hinder his election campaign, and order him to return for sentencing Nov. 12, a week after Election Day and a day after Veterans Day.
Bernard Belitsky, Cliffside Park
Government can’t provide ‘happiness’
This is in reference to the editorial in the Jan. 9 Star-Ledger print edition,” Two officials want to address why Americans are so unhappy,” which originated in the Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press.
I see some irony in politicians (U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox) taking on the responsibility to empower Americans to pursue happiness. Americans seem anxious and unhappy more than ever before. This is especially true of younger people when asked if they view the country is going in the right direction.
In the Declaration of Independence it is proclaimed “that all people have an inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
It can be argued that the government is the main reason that people today are unhappy. Politicians with far-right and far-left views are creating anxiety and turmoil for all to share. Democrat vs. Republican ideologies, along with the Jerry Springer drama mentality that is on display on social media and in traditional media, is bombarding and crushing hope for a better tomorrow.
The government is the problem, not the solution, for the pursuit of happiness. Individuals should not expect help from the politicians, but look to a higher authority for happiness. Our Founding Fathers knew the limitations of people when they wrote the Declaration of Independence, which is whyGod is mentioned several times in this great document. God the is the higher authority to all things and the sole giver of unalienable rights. The government was not, and is not, capable of doing and knowing all things, but the Founding Fathers knew who was.
Carlo A. Canestri, Franklin Park
Consumer alert 1: Bad vibrations at concert
On Saturday night, June 1, my wife and I attended the Beach Boys concert at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel. Apparently, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, which owns the site, has absolutely no control over Live Nation, which is under contract to run summertime concerts there.
We arrived early — about 5:10 p.m. — to ensure that we would be able to park in the main lot. We were instead directed to more distant Lot C.
Once you get inside there are plenty of places to get a drink, but few places that serve “food”— cold, precooked burgers and fries, etc. If you wanted soft serve ice cream, it came in a plastic bag. I thought we were trying to eliminate plastic bags. A simple cone would have been perfect, with no waste.
Every stand sold alcohol. Before the show began, the screens told us all that after the show you could go to the Club Bar and have a few more drinks to avoid the crowds leaving the arts center.
Is this really what our state government and its agencies wants? Booze it up even more before getting on the roads home?
Robert Peters, Clifton
Consumer Alert 2: No mascots, lots of marketing
I am sitting here reading the article, “My car insurance went up 17% but I have no tickets or accidents, man says. What gives?”
Neither Bill Gottenker nor his wife have had a claim in 20 some years. They are both senior citizens, insured by NJM. As it did with more than 20 New Jersey car insurers since January 2023, the state Department of Banking granted NJM a double-digit percentage rate increase.
I can only guess is that the cause is that NJM advertises “no jingles or mascots” in commercials thatseem like they run thousands of times a day. Maybe that’s why they need so much money.
Mark Maleson, Robbinsville
Footnotes to history repeating itself
If you missed then-president Ronald Reagan’sinspirational D-Day speech about World War II heroism and America’s role in the world at Normandy Beach for the 40th anniversary, you just got to hear it again last week for the 80th anniversary, uttered by the Plagiarist in Chief, President Joe Biden.
Is there an original thought that this fragile octogenarian can form? We know he has none of his own, outside of his old-man yelling.
Did his speech writers think no one would notice that elements were almost identical to Reagan’s? Or, was their target audience those who were not alive when Reagan gave his speech in 1984?
Footnotes, Joe, footnotes!
David DiBello, Brick
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