No vote on N.J. state car sell-off plan

New Jersey lawmakers are considering whether to drastically reduce in the number of motor vehicles in the state fleet.

Update, 2:30 p.m. A state Senate committee decided not to vote on the measure Thursday after hearing several concerns.

The Communication Workers of America, the largest union of state workers, said taking away state vehicles could complicate insurance situations for workers. Sen. Shirley Turner, a Democrat, says it’s not fair because at 31 cents per mile, the state’s reimbursement rate for workers using their own cars is too low.

And Sen. Samuel Thompson, a Republican, says the goal of reducing the fleet by 50 percent over five years is arbitrary.

 

It calls for culling the number of state cars by 10 percent for five consecutive years. Vehicles used by state police, gaming enforcement officials, and for construction and emergency services would be exempt.

The law is intended to cut costs and to raise some money for state coffers.