Good afternoon Chairwoman and members of the Committee. Thank you for the opportunity to testify.

I’m Zoe Baldwin, Vice President of State Programs at the Regional Plan Association, a 104 year old nonprofit civic organization which conducts research, planning and advocacy around the built and natural environment to make the NY-NJ-CT region more equitable, resilient, and prosperous.

I want to start by recognizing the Governor’s proposed budget for maintaining funding levels for NJ Transit. That commitment matters. After years of uncertainty, holding funding steady provides a measure of predictability the agency has long needed — and signals a continued commitment to treating transit as essential infrastructure.

So my ask today is hopefully one of the easier ones you’ll get: I am simply urging you to maintain the current funding levels and resist any further cuts to this critical utility of the state.

Research released by the RPA last summer found that the system drives up to $14 billion in annual economic activity for NJ.

That means every dollar invested in operations yields nearly five times that in return.

It is the foundation of our competitiveness, and our budget should reflect that public value.

Because NJ Transit is also not optional. It is how hundreds of thousands of people get to work, access education, and participate in the state’s economy.

It is also one of the most efficient tools we have to manage congestion, support housing growth, and reduce emissions.

But stability on paper does not automatically translate to affordability in practice.

Today, NJ Transit relies more heavily on farebox revenue than almost any of its peers. At 31%, riders shoulder nearly double the national average of 16% of operating costs, and that burden continues to grow.

The agency’s policy of automatic 3% annual fare increases, implemented — without public hearings — creates a quiet but compounding pressure on the people who depend on the system most.

Over time, that approach risks undermining the very ridership and economic participation the system is meant to support.

Other regions have recognized this and taken a different path.

Agencies across the country have implemented ​“fair fares” programs to ensure that low-income riders can access the system at a reduced cost, acknowledging for a transit system to actually work, it has to be affordable.

We look forward to discussing how New Jersey can join those peers in the near future, but for today, our priority is simply protecting the foundation we have

As you consider this budget, preserving dedicated funding for NJ Transit is critical.

But this funding is more than just a line item.

It represents a shift—away from over-relyance on riders, and toward a model that recognizes the true public value of transit.

Thank you for your time, and for your continued leadership on this issue.