Corzine to talk toll hikes in Voorhees tonight

Gov. Corzine will hold a town meeting in Voorhees tonight to discuss his plan to reduce the state's $32 billion debt by hiking highway tolls.

Corzine's proposal to increase the tolls on the New Jersey Turnpike, the Garden State Parkway and the Atlantic City Expressway is also designed to fund additional transportation ventures.

U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D., N.J.) this morning endorsed Corzine's debt-reduction strategy.

"Governor Corzine has presented a well-thought-out plan to bring New Jersey back from the edge of fiscal ruin," Andrews said. "While aspects of this plan may not be perceived as easy medicine, solutions that are difficult to take today will be impossible tomorrow."

The Camden County appearance will be the governor's first since Jan. 19 in Middle Township, where two conservative activists were arrested by local police outside a meeting and charged with defiant trespass.

Radio host Seth Grossman and former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan of Bergen County were charged after attempting to take protest signs into the auditorium where Corzine was speaking, police said.

Township officials subsequently apologized to Grossman and Lonegan and asked the municipal prosecutor Wednesday to drop charges against the two men.

Corzine is proposing 50 percent hikes to begin in 2010 with additional increases to follow every four years.

Corzine allies in the State Legislature have asked for commuter discounts if the toll hikes go into effect.

Tonight's meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the Voorhees Middle School Performing Arts Center, 1000 Holly Oak Dr. in Voorhees.

To register to attend, call 609-292-9763 or go to http://www.state.nj.us/townhallmeetings/listing/.