23 cent New Jersey gas tax hike takes effect

Driving through New Jersey just got a little worse.

The 23 cents per gallon gas tax hike took affect in New Jersey Tuesday, and New Jerseyans are expressing their dismay for Gov. Chris Christie’s scheme to raise state revenue for transportation projects.

“There better not be one damn pot hole in NJ with this gas tax,” griped @KimB_Shwaaag.

The increase is the state’s first since 1988, and for many years New Jersey enjoyed tax of only 14.5 cents per gallon, second only to Alaska’s 12.25 cents. Drivers from Pennsylvania and New York frequently fueled up in the Garden State for significant (sometimes $1 or more) savings.

Now New Jersey’s tax per gallon of gasoline is 37.5 cents, the sixth highest in the country.

Gov. Christie introduced the tax as part of a larger package announced in September to actually lower sales tax, and phase out estate tax, throughout the state and still meet rising expenses. The plan will raise $16 billion over eight years to fund road and transportation system work. The federal government will match that sum with another $16 billion.

“Christie is a THIEF Signed a huge tax increase that is burdening people who can least afford it in the GAS tax,” tweeted @CHCmobile.

Overall, gas prices in NJ are expected to still be less than neighboring states, providing savings of 10 to 22 cents per gallon, projects Tracy Noble, a spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic who spoke to NBC New York.