New Jersey
NJ Transit is nearly $1 billion short. Taxing corporations like Amazon, Tesla could fix that.
3-minute read
Public transit is not just a way to get around — it’s the backbone of New Jersey’s economy. Across the state, millions of residents rely on NJ Transit buses and trains for their daily commutes, medical appointments, shopping trips, and cherished family moments.
During my 30 years serving in the state Legislature, I heard from countless constituents who shared their stories about the pivotal role that reliable bus and train service plays in their lives.
From parents who rely on the morning bus to get their kids to school on time to workers whose job prospects hinge on catching the right train, the reliability of bus and train service can be the difference between a smooth, productive day and one filled with frustration and setbacks.
Yet, despite NJ Transit’s importance to families and the state, the future of the agency is in jeopardy with a nearly $1 billion budget deficit projected for next year, even after the agency voted to raise fares by 15%. This budget crisis is unprecedented in its size and scope, but it was also entirely predictable.
Fortunately, Gov. Phil Murphy’s proposed Corporate Transit Fee offers a ray of hope. This fee targets the biggest and wealthiest corporations, ensuring that those with annual profits exceeding $10 million contribute their fair share to NJ Transit.
Taxing corporations is the fairest way to fix NJ Transit
NJ Transit price hike: What to know about rates going up on July 1
NJ Transit’s board unanimously approved a fare increase of 15% on July 1 and 3% every year after that.
The agency has never had a dedicated source of state funding, and it stands as the only major transit agency in the country without one. Instead, its operating budget is cobbled together year after year, relying on high fares, tax dollars diverted from other state programs, and the agency’s own capital fund meant for new and improved physical infrastructure.
Creating a dedicated funding source from the Corporate Transit Fee presents a fair and common-sense solution that will benefit commuters and businesses alike. The fee is targeted and only applies to profits, not revenue, so the few corporations that pay it remain wildly profitable.
And because the fee is collected on profits earned in New Jersey, not just on companies headquartered here, it is primarily paid by large multinational corporations and retailers that will continue to do business here. This will not stop companies like Tesla from selling cars in New Jersey, nor will it stop big retailers like Amazon from delivering packages here.
The corporations that pay this fee will also directly benefit from a reliable, state-wide transit system and the access it provides to New Jersey’s highly-educated workforce and customer base.
Opinion: Businesses will leave NJ if they face more corporate taxes — even to bail out NJ Transit
We cannot repeat the mistakes of the past
I fought for years to find permanent dedicated funding for NJ Transit but, each time, short-sighted thinking led the state’s leaders to adopt temporary solutions. Years of underfunding and expiring federal pandemic aid have now left the agency facing an existential fiscal crisis. Without new state funding, the agency will have to make catastrophic service cuts and even more fare hikes, leaving commuters stranded and doing untold damage to the state’s economy.
And this isn’t theoretical. My constituents experienced this first hand throughout the Christie administration when their fares were increased and service was cut, leading to riders paying more for worse service where delays, cancellations, and overcrowding became the new norm.
Now, lawmakers are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past instead of learning from them. NJ Transit has already approved a 15% fare hike to take effect this summer, putting transit out of reach for low-income riders without fixing the agency’s budget shortfall.
With New Jersey ranking second in the nation in the percentage of commuters using public transit, it behooves the most profitable corporations to pay their fair share for this critical infrastructure that they benefit from.
Reliable mass transit is a necessary part of New Jersey’s economy. It means reliable access to job opportunities, customers, education, health care, and more. Reliable service even benefits those who drive by keeping hundreds of thousands of cars off the road, reducing both traffic and air pollution.
New Jersey and its commuters deserve a world-class transit system. Asking the world’s biggest corporations to help pay for it is a no-brainer.
Loretta Weinberg is the former state Senate Majority Leader and represented parts of Bergen County in the New Jersey Legislature from 1992 to 2022.
JAMESBURG, New Jersey (WABC) — When it comes to home deliveries, having your order stolen right off your doorstep can be infuriating, so one New Jersey man did it right.
Peter Tsistinas had his brand-new cell phone delivered to a so-called safe pickup site, designated by the seller, where it was stolen.
Delivery services can drop off your item at any number of safe locations, where you can later pick up your order. But as exclusive video obtained by 7 On Your Side shows, porch pirates are upping their game.
Captured on a security camera, a man calmly walks into the CVS store, asks for a delivery, shows an ID, signs for it, and walks off with a brand-new iPhone. There’s just one problem.
“They saw somebody that was not me getting my package,” said Tsistinas when asked what the police were seeing on the tape.
The real Peter, a popular DJ for hire, was dumbfounded. He chose the safe drop to avoid being porch pirated, but the thief still got the goods.
“Yeah, I actually paid extra for it. It wasn’t much. It was $7.99,” Tsistinas said.
Tsistinas got a notification from UPS that the phone was dropped off at 12:39 p.m., less than two hours later, he got a notice it was picked up.
But Tsistinas didn’t pick it up. It was the unknown suspect who went into the CVS, walking off with the brand-new iPhone for Peter’s son.
Tsistinas reported the crime to the police and alerted UPS, CVS and T-Mobile, which shipped the smartphone. The response to the DJ was what he called, “crickets.”
“I was watching, you know ABC News, and I saw 7 On Your Side and I’m like, ‘you know, you’re the first thing I thought of,’” Tsistinas said
7 On Your Side reached out to both CVS and the cell phone provider.
Within a week, T-Mobile responded, saying, “Our care team is working with Mr. Tsistinas directly to get him the device he ordered from us, and we’re working closely with CVS and our other partners to further protect our customers’ orders from theft. Our dedicated fraud, crime and logistics teams collaborate with vendors to address these issues and improve delivery processes.”
CVS also sent 7 On Your Side an official statement, saying, “We’ve connected with the customer and apologized for his experience. T-Mobile is now working directly with Mr. Tsistinas to help resolve the matter. Anyone picking up a UPS package at CVS Pharmacy must present identification matching the person and name on the package to be released. We’re working with the store team to help prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.”
After weeks of back and forth with the companies, Tsistinas could finally focus on his beats again.
“I paid almost $500 in deposit, and then it was going to be like so much per month. So, they just squashed all that,” Tsistinas said.
Referencing the Rolling Stones, he says he not only got his satisfaction, but also his money back.
“Nina, you’re the best!” Peter said.
Police are still looking for the suspect in the video and say he’s part of a crime ring. If you recognize him, call Jamesburg police in New Jersey.
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A police investigation took place at a Walmart in Cherry Hill, New Jersey on Wednesday morning and shoppers may have noticed an increased presence of officers at the shopping center, officials said.
On social media, the Cherry Hill Police Department alerted residents that an investigation was underway in a Walmart, located along Route 38 in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, at about 9 a.m. on Wednesday.
However, officials did not immediately detail the cause of this increased police presence, other than saying an investigation was underway and “the scene has been secured.”
Police were asking people to avoid the area, if possible, to allow officers the ability to complete this investigation.
However, as of about 10 a.m., police said on social media that the incident was resolved and there was no threat to the public.
OFFICIAL UPDATE: INCIDENT RESOLVED
The police activity at Walmart (500 Route 38) has been resolved without incident. There is no threat to the public.
Thank you to residents and motorists for their patience and cooperation while officers worked in the area. #CherryHillPD pic.twitter.com/668By2Ttht
— Cherry Hill Police Department (@CherryHillPD) July 8, 2026
As of about 10:15 a.m., police had not provided further information on the nature of this investigation, nor did they say if anyone was arrested through the course of this incident.
NBC10 is working to learn more.
This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as new information becomes available.
WILDWOOD, N.J. (WPVI) — Multiple people were rescued from the ocean off Wildwood, New Jersey, over the weekend, and the rescue was caught on video.
It all happened around 7:45 p.m. Sunday on the beach near Schellenger Avenue.
In total, officials say nine people were saved.
The Wildwood Beach Patrol, which was among the responding agencies, posted video of the rescue on Facebook.
A woman who witnessed it all said she was struck by the act of bravery she witnessed.
“What I just experienced was just the most beautiful thing ever. These people just came out of nowhere – I’m talking about like Baywatch – out of nowhere, come out there and save those people in that water. It was so beautiful,” she said.
Officials are reminding beachgoers to only swim when lifeguards are present.
Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.
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