Bill Text: NJ A4186 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Revises "New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority Act."

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-09-19 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee [A4186 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2016-A4186-Introduced.html

ASSEMBLY, No. 4186

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

217th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

 


 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  JOHN S. WISNIEWSKI

District 19 (Middlesex)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblymen Moriarty, Giblin, Kennedy and Assemblywoman Oliver

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Revises "New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority Act."

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

 


An Act concerning bonding of the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority and amending P.L.1984, c.73 and P.L.1987, c.460.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

1.  Section 3 of P.L.1984, c.73 (C.27:1B-3) is amended to read as follows:

     3.  The following words or terms as used in this act shall have the following meaning unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context:

     [a.]  "Act" means this New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority Act of 1984 as amended and supplemented.

     [b.]  "Authority" means the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority created by section 4 of this act.

     [c.]  "Bonds" means bonds issued by the authority pursuant to the act and includes prior bonds and transportation program bonds.

     "Circle of Mobility" means an essential group of related transit projects that include (1) the New Jersey Urban Core Project, as defined in section 3031 of the "Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991," Pub.L.102-240, and consisting of the following elements: Secaucus Transfer, Kearny Connection, Waterfront Connection, Northeast Corridor Signal System, Hudson River Waterfront Transportation System, Newark-Newark International Airport-Elizabeth Transit Link, a rail connection between Penn Station Newark and Broad Street Station, Newark, New York Penn Station Concourse, and the equipment needed to operate revenue service associated with improvements made by the project, and (2) the modification and reconstruction of the West Shore Line in Bergen County connected to Allied Junction/Secaucus Transfer Meadowlands Rail Center; the construction of a rail station and associated components at the Meadowlands Sports Complex; the modification and reconstruction of the Susquehanna and Western Railway, as defined and provided in section 3035 (a) of the "Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991"; the modification and reconstruction of the Lackawanna Cutoff Commuter Rail Line connecting Morris, Sussex and Warren Counties to the North Jersey Transportation Rail Centers; commuter rail service in the central New Jersey region terminating at the proposed Lakewood Transportation Center in Ocean County or other location, as determined by the Board of the New Jersey Transit Corporation, pursuant to a resolution of the board providing for the achievement of a consensus among the interested parties as to the direction of the proposed rail line; and the extension of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Line to Bergen County; provided, however, that this 2000 amendatory act shall not be construed as affecting any priorities which may have been assigned to any other project in the Circle of Mobility.

     [d.] "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Transportation.

     [e.]  "Department" means the Department of Transportation.

     [f.]  "Federal aid highway" means any highway within the State in connection with which the State receives payment or reimbursement from the federal government under the terms of Title 23, United States Code or any amendment, successor, or replacement thereof, for the purposes contained in the act.

     [g.]  "Federal government" means the United States of America, and any [officer] office, department, board, commission, bureau, division, corporation, agency or instrumentality thereof.

     [h.  "South Jersey Transportation Authority" means the public corporation created by section 4 of P.L.1991, c.252 (C.27:25A-4) or its successor.

     i.] "New Jersey Highway Authority" means the public corporation created by section 4 of P.L.1952, c.16 (C.27:12B-4) or its successor.

     [j.] "New Jersey Turnpike Authority" means the public corporation created by section 3 of P.L.1948, c.454 (C.27:23-3) or its successor.

     [k.]  "Notes" means the notes issued by the authority pursuant to the act.

     "Permitted maintenance" means, in relation to public transportation projects and transportation projects, direct costs of work necessary for preserving or maintaining the useful life of public transportation projects and transportation projects respectively, provided the work performed is associated with the acquisition, installation and rehabilitation of components which are not included in the normal operating maintenance of equipment and facilities or replaced on a scheduled basis.  The work shall ensure the useful life of the public transportation project or transportation project for not less than five years and shall not include routine maintenance or inspection of equipment and facilities that is conducted on a scheduled basis.  This definition shall not apply to the term "maintenance" as used in the definition of "public highways."  In relation to public highways, "permitted maintenance" means the direct costs of work necessary for preserving or maintaining the useful life of public highways, provided the work is not associated with the regular and routine maintenance of public highways and their components.  The work shall ensure the useful life of the transportation project for not less than five years.

     "Prior bonds" means bonds issued pursuant to the authorization contained in P.L.1995, c.108 and P.L.2006, c.3 and any bonds issued to refund such prior bonds.

     [l.] "Public highways" means public roads, streets, expressways, freeways, parkways, motorways and boulevards, including bridges, tunnels, overpasses, underpasses, interchanges, rest areas, express bus roadways, bus pullouts and turnarounds, park-ride facilities, traffic circles, grade separations, traffic control devices, the elimination or improvement of crossings of railroads and highways, whether at grade or not at grade, bicycle and pedestrian pathways and pedestrian and bicycle bridges traversing public highways and any facilities, equipment, property, rights of way, easements and interests therein needed for the construction, improvement and maintenance of highways.

     [m.]  "Public transportation project" means, in connection with public transportation service, passenger stations, shelters and terminals, automobile parking facilities, ferries and ferry facilities, including capital projects for ferry terminals, approach roadways, pedestrian accommodations, parking, docks, and other necessary land-side improvements, ramps, track connections, signal systems, power systems, information and communication systems, roadbeds, transit lanes or rights of way, equipment storage, pedestrian walkways and bridges connecting to passenger stations and servicing facilities, bridges, grade crossings, rail cars, locomotives, motorbuses and other motor vehicles, maintenance and garage facilities, revenue handling equipment and any other equipment, facility or property useful for or related to the provision of public transportation service.

     "South Jersey Transportation Authority" means the public corporation created by section 4 of P.L.1991, c.252 (C.27:25A-4) or its successor.

     [n.] "State agency" means any [officer] office, department, board, commission, bureau, division, agency or instrumentality of the State.

     [o.] "Toll road authorities" means and includes the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, the New Jersey Highway Authority, or its successor, and the South Jersey Transportation Authority.

     "Transportation program bonds" means bonds issued by the authority pursuant to the authorization contained in P.L.2012, c.13, and P.L.    , c.    (pending before the Legislature as this bill), and any bonds issued to refund such transportation program bonds.

     [p.] "Transportation project" means, in addition to public highways and public transportation projects, any equipment, facility or property useful or related to the provision of any ground, waterborne or air transportation for the movement of people and goods including rail freight infrastructure, which equipment, facility, or property may be acquired by purchase or lease.

     [q.] "Transportation system" means public highways, public transportation projects, other transportation projects, and all other surface, airborne and waterborne methods of transportation for the movement of people and goods.

     [r. "Permitted maintenance" means, in relation to public transportation projects, direct costs of work necessary for preserving or maintaining the useful life of public transportation projects, provided the work performed is associated with the acquisition, installation and rehabilitation of components which are not included in the normal operating maintenance of equipment and facilities or replaced on a scheduled basis.  The work shall ensure the useful life of the project for not less than five years and shall not include routine maintenance or inspection of equipment and facilities that is conducted on a scheduled basis.  This definition shall not apply to the term "maintenance" as used in subsection l. of this section.  For purposes of this subsection, "permitted maintenance" means, in relation to public highways, the direct costs of work necessary for preserving or maintaining the useful life of public highways, provided the work is not associated with the regular and routine maintenance of public highways and their components.  The work shall ensure the useful life of the project for not less than five years.

     s.  "Circle of Mobility" means an essential group of related transit projects that include (1) the New Jersey Urban Core Project, as defined in section 3031 of the "Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991," Pub.L.102-240, and consisting of the following elements: Secaucus Transfer, Kearny Connection, Waterfront Connection, Northeast Corridor Signal System, Hudson River Waterfront Transportation System, Newark-Newark International Airport-Elizabeth Transit Link, a rail connection between Penn Station Newark and Broad Street Station, Newark, New York Penn Station Concourse, and the equipment needed to operate revenue service associated with improvements made by the project, and (2) the modification and reconstruction of the West Shore Line in Bergen County connected to Allied Junction/Secaucus Transfer Meadowlands Rail Center; the construction of a rail station and associated components at the Meadowlands Sports Complex; the modification and reconstruction of the Susquehanna and Western Railway, as defined and provided in section 3035 (a) of the "Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991"; the modification and reconstruction of the Lackawanna Cutoff Commuter Rail Line connecting Morris, Sussex and Warren Counties to the North Jersey Transportation Rail Centers; and commuter rail service in the central New Jersey region terminating at the proposed Lakewood Transportation Center in Ocean County or other location, as determined by the Board of the New Jersey Transit Corporation, pursuant to a resolution of the board providing for the achievement of a consensus among the interested parties as to the direction of the proposed rail line; provided, however, that this 2000 amendatory act shall not be construed as affecting any priorities which may have been assigned to any other project in the Circle of Mobility.

     t.     "Prior bonds" means bonds issued pursuant to the authorization contained in P.L.1995, c.108 and P.L.2006, c.3 and any bonds issued to refund such prior bonds.

     u.  "Transportation program bonds" means bonds issued pursuant to the authorization contained in P.L.2012, c.13, and any bonds issued to refund such transportation program bonds.]

(cf:  P.L.2012, c.13, s.1)

 

     2.  Section 9 of P.L.1984, c.73 (C.27:1B-9) is amended to read as follows:

     9.  a.  The authority shall have the power and is hereby authorized after November 15, 1984 and from time to time thereafter to issue its bonds, notes or other obligations in principal amounts as in the opinion of the authority shall be necessary to provide for any of its corporate purposes, including the payment, funding or refunding of the principal of, or interest or redemption premiums on, any bonds, notes or other obligations issued by it, whether the bonds, notes, obligations or interest to be funded or refunded have or have not become due; and to provide for the security thereof and for the establishment or increase of reserves to secure or to pay the bonds, notes or other obligations or interest thereon and all other reserves and all costs or expenses of the authority incident to and necessary or convenient to carry out its corporate purposes and powers; and in addition to its bonds, notes and other obligations, the authority shall have the power to issue subordinated indebtedness, which shall be subordinate in lien to the lien of any or all of its bonds or notes.  No resolution or other action of the authority providing for the issuance of bonds, refunding bonds, notes, or other obligations shall be adopted or otherwise made effective by the authority without the prior approval in writing of the Governor and the State Treasurer.

     b.    Except as may be otherwise expressly provided in the act or by the authority:

     (1)   Every issue of bonds or notes shall be general obligations payable out of any revenues or funds of the authority, subject only to any agreements with the holders of particular bonds or notes pledging any particular revenues or funds.  The authority may provide the security and payment provisions for its bonds or notes as it may determine, including (without limiting the generality of the foregoing) bonds or notes as to which the principal and interest are payable from and secured by all or any portion of the revenues of and payments to the authority, and other moneys or funds as the authority shall determine, provided that for transportation program bonds or notes issued in anticipation of such transportation program bonds, only revenues dedicated pursuant to the New Jersey Constitution, including Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 4, and deposited into the "Transportation Trust Fund Account - Subaccount for Debt Service for Transportation Program Bonds," may be used for such payment;

     (2)   In addition, the authority may issue notes, in anticipation of the issuance of the bonds, provided that the issuance of such notes shall be subject to the bonding limitations as provided in subsection i. of this section, and the payment of such notes if issued in anticipation of the issuance of transportation program bonds shall be paid solely from revenues dedicated pursuant to the New Jersey Constitution, including Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 4, and deposited into the "Transportation Trust Fund Account - Subaccount for Debt Service for Transportation Program Bonds."  The authority may also issue notes in anticipation of the receipt of appropriations, grants, reimbursements or other funds, including without limitation grants from the federal government for federal aid highways or public transportation systems, the principal of or interest on which, or both, shall be payable out of the proceeds of appropriations, grants, reimbursements or other funds, including without limitation grants from the federal government for federal aid highways or public transportation systems.  Such notes shall not be subject to the bonding limitations as provided in subsection i. of this section; and

     (3)   The authority may also enter into bank loan agreements, lines of credit and other security agreements as authorized pursuant to subsection h. of section 6 of P.L.1984, c.73 (C.27:1B-6) and obtain for or on its behalf letters of credit in each case for the purpose of securing its bonds, notes or other obligations or to provide direct payment of any costs which the authority is authorized to pay by this act and to secure repayment of any borrowings under the loan agreement, line of credit, letter of credit or other security agreement by its bonds, notes or other obligations or the proceeds thereof or by any or all of the revenues of and payments to the authority or by any appropriation, grant or reimbursement to be received by the authority and other moneys or funds as the authority shall determine, provided that for any such agreements entered into in connection with transportation program bonds issued pursuant to the authorization contained in subsection i. of this section, or notes issued in anticipation of such transportation program bonds, only revenues dedicated pursuant to the New Jersey Constitution, including Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 4, and deposited into the "Transportation Trust Fund Account - Subaccount for Debt Service for Transportation Program Bonds," may be used for such payment.

     c.     Whether or not the bonds and notes are of the form and character as to be negotiable instruments under the terms of Title 12A, Commercial Transactions, New Jersey Statutes, the bonds and notes are hereby made negotiable instruments within the meaning of and for all the purposes of Title 12A of the New Jersey Statutes.

     d.    Bonds or notes of the authority shall be authorized by a resolution or resolutions of the authority and may be issued in one or more series and shall bear the date, or dates, mature at the time or times, bear interest at the rate or rates of interest per annum, be in the denomination or denominations, be in the form, carry the conversion or registration privileges, have the rank or priority, be executed in the manner, be payable from the sources, in the medium of payment, at the place or places within or without the State, and be subject to the terms of redemption (with or without premium) as the resolution or resolutions may provide.  Bonds or notes may be further secured by a trust indenture between the authority and a corporate trustee within or without the State.  All other obligations of the authority shall be authorized by resolution containing terms and conditions as the authority shall determine.

     e.     Bonds, notes or other obligations of the authority may be sold at public or private sale at a price or prices and in a manner as the authority shall determine, either on a negotiated or on a competitive basis.  Every bond, or refunding bond, issued on or after the effective date of P.L.2006, c.3 (C.27:1B-22.2 et al.) shall mature and be paid no later than 31 years from the date of the issuance of that bond or refunding bond.

     f.     Bonds or notes may be issued and other obligations incurred under the provisions of the act without obtaining the consent of any department, division, commission, board, bureau or agency of the State, other than the approval as required by subsection a. of this section, and without any other proceedings or the happening of any other conditions or other things than those proceedings, conditions or things which are specifically required by the act.

     g.    Bonds, notes and other obligations of the authority issued or incurred under the provisions of the act shall not be in any way a debt or liability of the State or of any political subdivision thereof other than the authority and shall not create or constitute any indebtedness, liability or obligation of the State or of any political subdivision or be or constitute a pledge of the faith and credit of the State or of any political subdivision, but all bonds, notes and obligations, unless funded or refunded by bonds, notes or other obligations of the authority, shall be payable solely from revenues or funds pledged or available for their payment as authorized in the act.  Each bond, note or other obligation shall contain on its face a statement to the effect that the authority is obligated to pay the principal thereof or the interest thereon only from revenues or funds of the authority, and for transportation program bonds and agreements securing such transportation program bonds only from revenues dedicated pursuant to the New Jersey Constitution, including Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 4, and deposited into the "Transportation Trust Fund Account - Subaccount for Debt Service for Transportation Program Bonds," and that neither the State nor any political subdivision thereof is obligated to pay the principal or interest and that neither the faith and credit nor the taxing power of the State or any political subdivision thereof is pledged to the payment of the principal of or the interest on the bonds, notes or other obligations.  For the purposes of this subsection, political subdivision does not include the authority.

     h.    All expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of the act shall be payable solely from the revenues or funds provided or to be provided under or pursuant to the provisions of the act and nothing in the act shall be construed to authorize the authority to incur any indebtedness or liability on behalf of or payable by the State or any political subdivision thereof.

     i.     The authority shall minimize debt incurrence by first relying on appropriations and other revenues available to the authority before incurring debt secured by State revenues to meet its statutory purposes.  Commencing with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1995 and ending within the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2005, the authority shall not incur debt in any fiscal year in excess of $650,000,000, except that if that permitted amount of debt, or any portion thereof, is not incurred in a fiscal year it may be incurred in a subsequent fiscal year.  Commencing with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2006 and ending with the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2010, the authority shall not incur debt for any fiscal year in excess of $1,600,000,000, reduced in each of those fiscal years by the amount by which the appropriation of State funds to the Transportation Trust Fund Account for that fiscal year shall exceed $895,000,000; provided, however, that if a portion of that permitted amount of debt, less any reduction as provided above, is not incurred in a fiscal year, an amount not greater than the unused portion may be incurred in a subsequent fiscal year in addition to the amount otherwise permitted.  Debt permitted for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2006 may be incurred prior to July 1, 2006.  The authority shall not issue transportation program bonds in excess of $1,247,000,000 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012, in excess of $849,200,000 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013, in excess of $735,300,000 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014, and in excess of $626,800,000 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2015, except that (1) if that permitted amount of transportation program bonds, or any portion thereof, is not incurred in a fiscal year, it may be issued in a subsequent fiscal year and (2) 30 percent of the permitted amount of transportation program bonds for a fiscal year may be issued in the fiscal year preceding such fiscal year provided that (a) any transportation program bonds issued pursuant to this paragraph shall be deducted from the authorization for the fiscal year from which it was taken, and (b) the proceeds of any such transportation program bonds shall not be encumbered until the fiscal year from which the deduction of the authorization was taken pursuant to this paragraph.  Transportation program bonds authorized to be issued for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012 may be issued prior to July 1, 2012.  The authority shall not issue transportation program bonds in excess of $1,600,000,000 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2016 and in excess of $1,600,000,000 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2017.  Any increase in this limitation shall only occur if so provided for by law.  In computing the foregoing limitation as to the amount of bonds the authority may issue, the authority may exclude any bonds, notes or other obligations, including subordinated obligations of the authority, issued for refunding purposes.  The payment of debt service on transportation program bonds and any agreements issued in connection with such transportation program bonds shall be paid solely from revenues dedicated pursuant to the New Jersey Constitution, including Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 4, and deposited into the "Transportation Trust Fund Account - Subaccount for Debt Service for Transportation Program Bonds."

     j.     Upon the decision by the authority to issue refunding bonds pursuant to this section, and prior to the sale of those bonds, the authority shall transmit to the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, or its successor, a report that a decision has been made, reciting the basis on which the decision was made, including an estimate of the debt service savings to be achieved and the calculations upon which the authority relied when making the decision to issue refunding bonds.  The report shall also disclose the intent of the authority to issue and sell the refunding bonds at public or private sale and the reasons therefor.

     k.    The Joint Budget Oversight Committee, or its successor, shall have authority to approve or disapprove the sale of refunding bonds as included in each report submitted in accordance with subsection j. of this section.  The committee shall approve or disapprove the sale of refunding bonds within 10 business days after physical receipt of the report.  The committee shall notify the authority in writing of the approval or disapproval as expeditiously as possible.

     l.     No refunding bonds shall be issued unless the report has been submitted to and approved by the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, or its successor, as set forth in subsection k. of this section.

     m.   Within 30 days after the sale of the refunding bonds, the authority shall notify the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, or its successor, of the result of that sale, including the prices and terms, conditions and regulations concerning the refunding bonds, and the actual amount of debt service savings to be realized as a result of the sale of refunding bonds.

     n.    The Joint Budget Oversight Committee, or its successor, shall, however, review all information and reports submitted in accordance with this section and may, on its own initiative, make observations and recommendations to the authority or to the Legislature, or both, as it deems appropriate.

     o.    No refunding bonds shall be issued unless the authority shall first determine that the present value of the aggregate principal of and interest on the refunding bonds is less than the present value of the aggregate principal of and interest on the outstanding bonds to be refinanced, except that, for the purposes of this limitation, present value shall be computed using a discount rate equal to the yield of those refunding bonds, and yield shall be computed using an actuarial method based upon a 360-day year with semiannual compounding and upon the prices paid to the authority by the initial purchasers of those refunding bonds.

(cf:  P.L.2012, c.13, s.3)

 

     3.  Section 8 of P.L.1987, c.460 (C.27:1B-21.1) is amended to read as follows:

     8.  a.  Commencing with the report of the commissioner, as may be amended, required to be submitted pursuant to section 22 of P.L.1984, c.73 (C.27:1B-22) on or before March 1, 2006 and on each succeeding March 1 thereafter through March 1, [2015] 2017, the annual amount so reported by the commissioner for proposed projects shall not exceed $1,600,000,000 exclusive of federal funds.

     b.    For the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2006 and for each fiscal year thereafter through the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2011, the total annual amount authorized to be appropriated from the revenues and other nonfederal funds of the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority for the projects listed in the appropriations act pursuant to section 21 of P.L.1984, c.73 (C.27:1B-21) shall not exceed $1,600,000,000, all amounts exclusive of federal funds.  The total amount authorized to be appropriated from the revenues and other nonfederal funds of the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority for the projects listed in the appropriations act pursuant to section 21 of P.L.1984, c.73 (C.27:1B-21) shall not exceed: $1,247,000,000 for the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2012; $1,224,000,000 for the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2013; $1,225,000,000 for the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2014; [and] $1,247,000,000 for the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2015; $1,600,000,000 for the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2016; and $1,600,000,000 for the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2017.

     c.     (Deleted by amendment, P.L.1991, c.40[.])

     d.    (Deleted by amendment, P.L.1992, c.10)[.]

     e.     The State Auditor shall provide for a unified annual audit of expenditures from the "Special Transportation Fund," established by section 21 of P.L.1984, c.73 (C.27:1B-21), in order to determine that these funds are expended for costs eligible for funding from the authority and in a manner consistent with appropriations made by the Legislature.  The findings of such audits shall be transmitted to the presiding officer of each House of the Legislature, and to the Chair of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, the Senate Transportation Committee, the Assembly Appropriations Committee, and the Assembly Transportation and [Communications] Independent Authorities Committee or their successors.

     f.     The State Auditor shall review bond issuances of the authority and report to the Joint Budget Oversight Committee and to the members of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee and the Assembly Appropriations Committee, or their successors, on the status of the bonds of the authority and projects financed from the proceeds of the bonds.  The report shall include the investment status of all unexpended bond proceeds and provide a description of any bond issues expected during a fiscal year, including type of issue, estimated amount of bonds to be issued and the expected month of sale.

(cf:  P.L.2012, c.13, s.7)

 

     4.  This act shall take effect immediately and shall be retroactive to July 1, 2016.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill amends the "New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority Act of 1984" to make changes necessary to support the State's Capital Transportation Program for fiscal years (FY) 2017-2018.

     This bill provides the Transportation Trust Fund Authority (authority) with bonding authorization of $1.6 billion for FY 2017 and $1.6 billion for FY 2018, for $3.2 billion in total borrowing capacity.  The bill allows for an annual transportation capital program size of $1.6 billion in FY 2017 and FY 2018.  This represents a continuation of the $1.6 billion program authorization level that has been appropriated each year since FY 2007. 

     If the $1.6 billion in borrowing authorized under this bill utilizes bonds issued at an average interest rate of four percent and is structured with equal debt service payments over 30 years, it will require approximately $90 million for each year in additional State appropriations to the authority to make debt service payments on this additional borrowing, for a total annual cost of $180 million for both years of bonding.  The bill also includes the extension of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Line into Bergen County within the definition of "Circle of Mobility."

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