Christie’s lieutenant governor splits with him on gas tax

Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s lieutenant governor has come out against a measure Christie supports to ask voters to approve dedicating gas tax proceeds exclusively to transportation projects.

In a rare public disagreement, Republican Lt. Gov Kim Guadagno said on New Jersey 101.5FM Thursday that she opposes the ballot question.

Christie spokesman Brian Murray says the governor backs the question and that there must be a misunderstanding.

Guadagno says the question misleads voters because legislation setting up the transportation trust fund requires $12 billion in borrowing contingent upon approval of public question 2. But the question doesn’t explicitly ask voters to authorize borrowing.

New Jersey began requiring that voters approve borrowing in 2008.

Democratic Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto says Guadagno has a “total misunderstanding” of the question. He didn’t address the issue of borrowing.