Wisniewski Calls for Increasing Funding for Senior Transportation Programs

WISNIEWSKI CALLS FOR INCREASING FUNDING FOR SENIOR TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS

Funding Increase Would Help Programs Absorb Record Gasoline Costs Without Cutting Essential Services

(SAYREVILLE) - With a weak economy fueling increases in the cost of everyday necessities and gasoline costing 37 percent more than a year ago, Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski today said increasing funding to "The Senior Citizen and Disabled Resident Transportation Program" should be among the issues the Legislature considers when it returns in September.

"The state has thousands of senior citizens on fixed incomes and limited mobility who absolutely rely on state-funded transportation programs to survive," said Wisniewski, chairman of the Assembly Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee.  "To combat record high fuel prices and prevent curtailing of essential senior services, we must increase the amount of funding these programs receive."

Wisniewski (D-Middlesex) is the sponsor of legislation (A-2046) that would increase the annual appropriation for "The Senior Citizen and Disabled Resident Transportation Program" from 7.5 percent to 8.5 percent of the revenue deposited in the Casino Revenue Fund.

According to Wisniewski, increasing funding by 1 percent would more easily allow the transportation programs currently in place to absorb the cost of near-$4-a-gallon fuel while neither curtailing existing service nor impacting other programs funded through the Casino Revenue Fund.

"Certain services simply cannot do more with less," said Wisniewski.  "If redirecting a small percentage of funding will ensure that New Jersey seniors can continue to access essential transportation services, then it is something that we should strongly consider."

"The Senior Citizen and Disabled Resident Transportation Program" assists counties in developing and providing access to fixed-route transportation services, where available, and creating local transit services where they are not.

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