New York
Pump Your Own Gas? No Thanks, Say New Jerseyans
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Sabrina Banks, an 18-year-old school freshman, has by no means pumped her personal gasoline. Rising up in New Jersey, she by no means needed to.
“I don’t even know the way,” Ms. Banks mentioned with a fast snicker earlier than heading right into a Mattress Tub & Past retailer in Brick, N.J.
For now, she needn’t be taught: A short however intense push to abolish a legislation that bars drivers in New Jersey from pumping their very own gasoline at gasoline stations has hit a pace bump, if not an entire dead-end.
Nicholas Scutari, the Democratic president of the State Senate whose backing could be essential to any legislation change, put an finish to hypothesis earlier this month when he mentioned he didn’t help altering the state’s distinctive coverage.
New Jersey is the one state within the nation that requires attendants to pump gasoline for all clients, a legislation that has been in place for 73 years and {that a} majority of residents have repeatedly instructed pollsters they help. The idiosyncrasy is usually worn as a badge of honor on T-shirts and bumper stickers that proudly proclaim “Jersey Ladies Don’t Pump Fuel.”
Earlier this month, proponents of self-service gasoline reintroduced a invoice that will allow drivers to pump their very own gasoline, an effort backed by a gasoline station trade group that resurfaces commonly. Broadly seen as a 3rd rail for politicians, the proposal has by no means gone far.
However proponents of the laws, who’ve framed it as a problem of driver alternative at a time when most main grocery and retail shops supply self-service checkout choices, mentioned they believed {that a} confluence of circumstances had given it higher odds.
Fuel costs are excessive, making the promise of even pennies in financial savings stronger. Employees have grow to be tougher to seek out through the pandemic, a scarcity that station homeowners say forces them to commonly shut down gasoline pumps. And the governor, in a televised information convention, recommended a brand new openness to the proposal as a approach of creating New Jersey extra inexpensive.
“It’s ridiculous that we really exit of our option to prohibit one thing that nearly all the remainder of the world permits,” mentioned State Senator Declan O’Scanlon Jr., a Republican from Monmouth County and a longtime supporter of self-service gasoline.
Voters — particularly Democrats — seem to disagree. A latest Rutgers Eagleton ballot discovered that 73 % of individuals surveyed mentioned they most popular having another person pump their gasoline. Roughly 82 % of Democrats most popular full-service, in contrast with 64 % of Republicans. And almost 90 % of girls mentioned they’d relatively have an attendant pump their gasoline, in contrast with 55 % of males, the ballot discovered.
Extra on Fuel Costs in New York and New Jersey
The invoice would require homeowners of stations with greater than 4 pumps to supply a full-service possibility between 8 a.m. and eight p.m. It was launched within the Meeting, however is unlikely to advance within the Senate with out Mr. Scutari’s help.
“The folks of New Jersey are very clear in wanting to maintain the system now we have now,” Mr. Scutari mentioned in a coverage place first reported by the New Jersey Monitor. He additionally mentioned he was not satisfied that the addition of self-service lanes would result in decrease gasoline costs.
Nonetheless, he did go away open a small window of hope for supporters of self-service gasoline. “If the general public sentiment modifications or there may be in actual fact information exhibiting that it could dramatically scale back prices,” Mr. Scutari mentioned in a textual content message. “I might rethink.”
In 2016, a former Republican governor, Chris Christie, provided an identical argument for not supporting self-service gasoline.
“The final ballot we did on this query, 78 % of New Jersey ladies mentioned they have been against self-service gasoline. Seventy-eight %!” he reportedly mentioned on the time. “You possibly can’t discover 78 % of individuals in New Jersey who agree on something!”
Three years later, Mr. Murphy equally demurred.
“I can’t commit political suicide this morning in East Orange,” the governor mentioned in 2019 when requested about self-service gasoline.
However when requested in regards to the proposed laws earlier this month, he didn’t rule out authorizing a self-service gasoline possibility, though he remained noncommittal.
“I’m not essentially signing up for that, as a result of I would like to know what affect it could have,” Mr. Murphy mentioned.
In 2016, the worth of gasoline in New Jersey was the second lowest within the nation, hovering near $2 a gallon. That yr, Mr. Christie signed a legislation that raised the gasoline tax by 23 cents a gallon. The additional charge paid for the elimination of the state’s tax on massive estates, reduce the gross sales tax barely and created a formula-driven funding stream for transportation initiatives that has led to further will increase, and one lower, within the gasoline tax.
The state tax on gasoline is now 42.4 cents a gallon, and there was little dialogue about quickly suspending the cost, as a number of different states have achieved to offset the latest value spike.
On Wednesday, the common value of a gallon of gasoline in New Jersey was $4.20, three cents lower than the nationwide common of $4.23 and roughly 14 cents lower than in New York, in keeping with the American Automotive Affiliation.
Sal Risalvato, government director of the New Jersey Gasoline, C-Retailer and Automotive Affiliation, a commerce group, mentioned he believed permitting self-service gasoline would decrease overhead prices, enhance gross sales and drive down costs.
Maybe extra vital, he mentioned, it could alleviate the hiring challenges now going through gasoline stations. A self-service possibility would allow station homeowners to maintain all pumps open, relatively than block off lanes when there are usually not sufficient workers, an issue that may result in longer strains for gasoline, he mentioned.
“Orange cones blocking pumps within the final two years — it’s not new, it’s simply grow to be extra commonplace,” Mr. Risalvato mentioned.
The 1949 statute barring self-service in New Jersey dates to a time when the observe was uncommon and the justification for entrusting solely station attendants to pump gasoline was security. Since then, each different state besides Oregon has adopted liberal use of self-service gasoline lanes. (Oregon stipulates that attendants at many gasoline stations should pump gasoline for drivers, however carves out a big exception for rural areas of the state.)
In New Jersey, the 1949 statute that Mr. Risalvato is attempting to overturn really grew out of a lobbying effort by the identical group he now leads.
The proprietor of a gasoline station in Hackensack, N.J., acquired upset when a competitor, deviating from the customized of the day, started permitting drivers to pump their very own gasoline. This enabled the station to promote gasoline for lower than the 22 cents a gallon rivals have been charging, Mr. Risalvato mentioned.
“The entire competing gasoline stations have been up in arms, saying, ‘Hey, he’s going to steal all our clients,’” Mr. Risalvato mentioned.
Levent Sertbas owns three family-run Exxon stations in Bergen County, N.J. His spouse, daughters and brother usually work on the stations, however he mentioned he was determined for added workers. He mentioned he may rent three folks on the spot if anybody confirmed as much as apply for the roles that pay $14 an hour.
“All people is in search of workers now,” mentioned Mr. Sertbas, 54. “That is one thing that folks don’t need to do anymore. They’ve started working outdoors, take care of the setting — scorching, chilly.
“How am I going to compete with Amazon or Goal?” he mentioned. “There’s no approach.”
When he’s short-staffed, he shuts down sure pumps to make the work extra manageable for a single worker. Pissed off drivers commonly climb out of their vehicles, he mentioned, to take away the nozzle from their crammed tanks relatively than watch for an worker attending to a different automotive.
3 times within the final yr, he mentioned he needed to shut a station altogether for a number of hours due to workers shortages.
“If I shut, I’m not earning money,” Mr. Sertbas mentioned, who additionally operates comfort shops subsequent to the filling stations. “And should you’re not coming into the station, you don’t come into the shop both.”
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New York
Senator Menendez’s Resignation Letter
![Senator Menendez’s Resignation Letter Senator Menendez’s Resignation Letter](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2024/07/23/doc-4ddf28bf-7055-4adb-bc76-b-promo/doc-4ddf28bf-7055-4adb-bc76-b-promo-facebookJumbo.png)
ROBERT MENENDEZ
NEW JERSEY
COMMITTEES:
BANKING, HOUSING, AND URBAN
AFFAIRS
FINANCE
FOREIGN RELATIONS
The Honorable Phil Murphy
Governor of New Jersey
Office of the Governor
Trenton, N.J. 08625
Dear Governor Murphy,
United States Senate
WASHINGTON, DC 20510-3005
July 23, 2024
528 SENATE HART OFFICE BUILDING
WASHINGTON, DC 20510
(202) 224-4744
210 HUDSON STREET
HARBORSIDE 3, SUITE #1000
JERSEY CITY, NJ 07311
(973) 645-3030
208 WHITE HORSE PIKE
SUITE 18-19
BARRINGTON, NJ 08007
(856) 757-5353
This is to advise you that I will be resigning from my office as the United States Senator from
New Jersey, effective on the close of business on August 20, 2024.
This will give time for my staff to transition to other possibilities, transfer constituent files that
are pending, allow for an orderly process to choose an interim replacement, and for me to close
out my Senate affairs.
While I fully intend to appeal the jury’s verdict, all the way and including to the Supreme Court,
I do not want the Senate to be involved in a lengthy process that will detract from its important
work. Furthermore, I cannot preserve my rights upon a successful appeal, because factual matters
before the ethics committee are not privileged. This is evidenced by the Committee’s Staff
Director and Chief Counsel being called to testify at my trial.
I am proud of the many accomplishments I’ve had on behalf of New Jersey, such as leading the
federal effort for Superstorm Sandy recovery, preserving and funding Gateway and leading the
federal efforts to help save our hospitals, State and municipalities, as well as New Jersey families
through a once in a century COVID pandemic. These successes led you, Governor, to call me the
“Indispensable Senator.”
I thank the citizens of New Jersey for the extraordinary privilege of representing them in the
United States Senate.
Sincerely,
Pabet Menang.
Robert Menendez
United States Senator
New Jersey
cc: The Honorable Kamala Harris, President of the Senate
The Honorable Ann Berry, Secretary of the Senate
New York
How Well Do You Know Literary Brooklyn?
![How Well Do You Know Literary Brooklyn? How Well Do You Know Literary Brooklyn?](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2024/07/22/books/review/22Quiz-Brooklyn/22Quiz-Brooklyn-facebookJumbo.jpg)
A strong sense of place can deeply influence a story, and in some cases, the setting can even feel like a character itself. This week’s literary geography quiz celebrates Brooklyn and novels set around the bustling borough. To play, just make your selection in the multiple-choice list and the correct answer will be revealed. Links to the books will be listed at the end of the quiz if you’d like to do further reading.
New York
See How Your Subway Service May Suffer Without Congestion Pricing
![See How Your Subway Service May Suffer Without Congestion Pricing See How Your Subway Service May Suffer Without Congestion Pricing](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2024/07/10/multimedia/2024-06-28-subway-projects-index/2024-06-28-subway-projects-index-facebookJumbo-v4.png)
After Gov. Kathy Hochul halted New York City’s congestion pricing program last month, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority cut $16.5 billion worth of planned upgrades to the city’s vast transit network, mostly to account for the loss of funding that was tied to revenue from the toll.
Source: Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Notes: The chart shows the $28.5 billion in uncommitted funds in the M.T.A.’s 2020-24 capital program; an additional $27 billion had already been committed.
The impact of the congestion pricing suspension on the M.T.A.’s funds for capital projects
Projects were cut from each part of New York City’s transit system, which is the largest in North America and is used by millions of people every day. The projects included elevator and ramp installations that would make subway stations accessible for people with disabilities, structural repairs to aging infrastructure and upgrades to 1930s-era signals that regularly cause delays.
Here are some of the subway projects the authority says it has shelved:
The cuts announced by the M.T.A. — the state agency that runs the subway, bus and commuter rail lines — will also affect transit outside the subway system. The authority has postponed the purchase of more than 250 electric buses and charging infrastructure at bus depots, as well as upgrades to regional rails and a ramp reconstruction on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
The $12 billion remaining in the M.T.A.’s capital funds will be spent on projects the authority considers the most urgent, like track replacements and repairs to power substations. It will also replace some of the “least reliable” subway and railway cars, the authority said in a report.
All told, there are 92 subway stations that will not get planned improvements, including 22 stations that will not get new elevators or ramps; 10 that will not get upgrades like structural repairs, platform replacements and new barriers between platforms and tracks; and 71 that will not get upgrades to their public announcement systems.
Below is a list of the subway stations where upgrades have been put on hold, based on what the M.T.A. has detailed so far:
Projects on hold at 41 stations in Brooklyn:
Union St R
- upgrade to public announcement system
4 Av-9 St R
- upgrade to public announcement system
36 St D N R
- upgrade to public announcement system
59 St N R
- upgrade to public announcement system
Bergen St F G
- upgrade to public announcement system
15 St-Prospect Park F G
- upgrade to public announcement system
Church Av F G
- upgrade to public announcement system
Avenue X F
- upgrade to public announcement system
Neptune Av F
- upgrade to public announcement system
- elevator or ramp installation
- platform or waiting area replacement
Jay St-MetroTech A C F
- upgrade to public announcement system
Hoyt-Schermerhorn Sts A C G
- upgrade to public announcement system
- elevator or ramp installation
Franklin Av C
- upgrade to public announcement system
Nostrand Av A C
- upgrade to public announcement system
- elevator or ramp installation
Utica Av A C
- upgrade to public announcement system
Euclid Av A C
- upgrade to public announcement system
7 Av B Q
- upgrade to public announcement system
Kings Hwy B Q
- upgrade to public announcement system
Avenue U Q
- upgrade to public announcement system
Neck Rd Q
- upgrade to public announcement system
Sheepshead Bay B Q
- upgrade to public announcement system
Brighton Beach B Q
- upgrade to public announcement system
Ocean Pkwy Q
- upgrade to public announcement system
W 8 St-NY Aquarium F Q
- upgrade to public announcement system
Jefferson St L
- elevator or ramp installation
Nevins St 2 3 4 5
- platform or waiting area replacement
Crescent St J Z
- upgrade to public announcement system
Norwood Av J Z
- upgrade to public announcement system
Cleveland St J
- upgrade to public announcement system
Van Siclen Av J Z
- upgrade to public announcement system
Alabama Av J
- upgrade to public announcement system
Chauncey St J Z
- upgrade to public announcement system
Halsey St J
- upgrade to public announcement system
Gates Av J Z
- upgrade to public announcement system
Kosciuszko St J
- upgrade to public announcement system
Myrtle Av J M Z
- upgrade to public announcement system
Flushing Av J M
- upgrade to public announcement system
Lorimer St J M
- upgrade to public announcement system
Hewes St J M
- upgrade to public announcement system
Marcy Av J M Z
- upgrade to public announcement system
Kings Hwy N
- elevator or ramp installation
18 Av D
- elevator or ramp installation
Projects on hold at 9 stations in the Bronx:
Norwood-205 St D
- upgrade to public announcement system
Bedford Park Blvd B D
- upgrade to public announcement system
Kingsbridge Rd B D
- upgrade to public announcement system
Fordham Rd B D
- upgrade to public announcement system
Tremont Av B D
- upgrade to public announcement system
161 St-Yankee Stadium B D
- upgrade to public announcement system
Wakefield-241 St 2
- elevator or ramp installation
Brook Av 6
- elevator or ramp installation
- repairs for structural or aesthetic issues
3 Av-138 St 6
- elevator or ramp installation
- repairs for structural or aesthetic issues
Projects on hold at 27 stations in Manhattan:
Roosevelt Island F
- upgrade to public announcement system
Lexington Av/63 St F Q
- upgrade to public announcement system
47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Ctr B D F M
- upgrade to public announcement system
42 St-Bryant Pk B D F M
- upgrade to public announcement system
- elevator or ramp installation
34 St-Herald Sq B D F M
- upgrade to public announcement system
Broadway-Lafayette St B D F M
- upgrade to public announcement system
2 Av F
- upgrade to public announcement system
Delancey St-Essex St F
- upgrade to public announcement system
- elevator or ramp installation
East Broadway F
- upgrade to public announcement system
190 St A
- repairs for structural or aesthetic issues
145 St A C B D
- elevator or ramp installation
W 4 St-Wash Sq A C E
- upgrade to public announcement system
Canal St A C E
- upgrade to public announcement system
Chambers St A C
- upgrade to public announcement system
World Trade Center E
- upgrade to public announcement system
Lexington Av/59 St N R W
- elevator or ramp installation
168 St 1
- elevator or ramp installation
3 Av L
- new fencing between platform and track
5 Av 7
- elevator or ramp installation
Times Sq-42 St 7
- new fencing between platform and track
Delancey St-Essex St J M Z
- upgrade to public announcement system
- elevator or ramp installation
Canal St J Z
- upgrade to public announcement system
Chambers St J Z
- upgrade to public announcement system
- repairs for structural or aesthetic issues
Broad St J Z
- upgrade to public announcement system
110 St 6
- elevator or ramp installation
59 St 4 5 6
- elevator or ramp installation
7 Av B D E
- elevator or ramp installation
Projects on hold at 14 stations in Queens:
21 St-Queensbridge F
- upgrade to public announcement system
111 St J
- upgrade to public announcement system
75 St-Elderts Ln J Z
- upgrade to public announcement system
Ozone Park-Lefferts Blvd A
- upgrade to public announcement system
Jamaica Center-Parsons/Archer E J Z
- upgrade to public announcement system
Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport E J Z
- new fencing between platform and track
Jamaica-Van Wyck E
- upgrade to public announcement system
Parsons Blvd F
- elevator or ramp installation
Sutphin Blvd F
- upgrade to public announcement system
Briarwood E F
- elevator or ramp installation
- repairs for structural or aesthetic issues
Howard Beach-JFK Airport A
- upgrade to public announcement system
Broad Channel A S
- upgrade to public announcement system
Far Rockaway-Mott Av A
- upgrade to public announcement system
Rockaway Park-Beach 116 St A S
- upgrade to public announcement system
Projects on hold at 1 station in Staten Island:
Clifton SIR
- elevator or ramp installation
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