wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Comments

• [1] C.O. from Hoboken, NJ November 19, 2007 - 10:17AM

  You asked if we talk about debt at the dinner table -- yes! We're a young family renting in Hoboken. We're trying to decide whether to buy an apartment and, while we think this is a great family town, we hesitate to invest in New Jersey precisely because of the state debt. We feel like our property taxes would be wasted. Fairly or not, we blame the debt for everything from school issues to pot holes.

  
  
• [2] Levine.j from Somerset Cnty November 19, 2007 - 11:03AM

  It's the leasing/selling of infrastructure that concerns me -- 3rd world countries allow BOTs -- "Build, Operate, Transfer" (after 20-99 years). I.e., a foreign company builds the infrastructure on its own nickel, and in exchange can collect a percentage of its profits for a set time before handing it back.

  If NJ could pull that off -- in the area of MASS TRANSIT -- (timely, high speed trains, for example) -- then perhaps they could lease existing turnpikes as a reward.

  Risk and commitment should be exchanged for the family farm (which turnpikes now are to The Garden State) in addition to cash to pay off Whitman's debts.

  
  
• [3] Levine.j from Somerset Cnty November 19, 2007 - 11:05AM

  It's the leasing/selling of infrastructure that concerns me -- 3rd world countries allow BOTs -- "Build, Operate, Transfer" (after 20-99 years). I.e., a foreign company builds the infrastructure on its own nickel, and in exchange can collect a percentage of its profits for a set time before handing it back.

  If NJ could pull that off -- in the area of MASS TRANSIT -- (timely, high speed trains, for example) -- then perhaps they could allow the leasing of existing turnpikes as a reward.

  Risk and commitment should be exchanged for the family farm (which turnpikes now are to The Garden State) in addition to cash to pay off Whitman's debts.