Planners, legislators must bring a halt to one-man, one-car thinking
This new year brings more retro thinking on the part of our "planners" and financial wizards walking the halls of the Statehouse.

Last year saw the passage of New Jersey's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Bill by Gov. Jon Corzine and company; however, this year's budgetrepair attempts would in large part reverse any potential reduction in carbon-dioxide emissions by creating a huge parking lot on the stretch of concrete now known as Route 440.

In case the governor hasn't noticed, there are large blocks of time during the "rush" hours in which a great deal of carbon dioxide and diesel soot are being churned up into our atmosphere, as single-occupancy vehicles try to negotiate the overcrowded highways of New Jersey. Encouraging more of this nonsense by widening turnpike lanes negates any and all attempts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in this state now and in the future.

Our environmental leaders constantly push for more mass transit, but stealing billions from one dedicated fund to punch another tunnel under the Hudson will not alleviate traffic and will just increase our budget woes. We need forward-thinking planners to try to communicate with the so-called legislators to put an end to this oneman, one-car mentality that is driving our nation downward.

I'm sure all those in Trenton and beyond have aced their courses in "pretzel logic," but perhaps they need to go back to school and look up the word planning.

Brian J. Racin

Chairman

South River Environmental and Shade

Tree Commission