7/25/2019 Asbury Park Press front page Tuesday, June 28 2016

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SCRAMBLE IN TRENTON

TRENTON - Whether New Jerseyans are about topay 23 cents more a gallon for gasoline may depend onwhether Gov. Chris Christie agrees to raise the gas taxin exchange for cutting the sales tax, legislative leaderssaid.

What had been expected to be a historic vote to raisethe gas tax instead became a day of furious negotiation.Both the Senate and Assembly had been widely expect-ed to pass a bipartisan bill package on Monday thatwould raise the states gasoline tax by 23 cents to pourmoney into the Transportation Trust Fund and impose aseries of tax cuts, including the estate tax.

But it became clear on Monday night that the Legis-lature didnt have the Republican votes necessary tooverride an expected veto by Christie and Demo-crats were loath to approve a gas tax hike without Re-publican support.

State Senate approves N.J. budget$275M bigger than governor sought

Gas tax hike for sales tax cut?Christie, Democrats talking

TANYA BREEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Members of LIUNA, Laborers International Union of North America, fill the gallery in support of the Transportation Trust Fundbill during a voting session in the Senate chamber at the State House in Trenton Monday.

Hectic negotiations could lower N.J.surcharge on purchases back to 6%

MIKE DAVIS@BYMIKEDAVIS

See TAX, Page 8A

Gun-control vote

Legislature sends measures mandating smart guns,restricting concealed carry to governors desk. Page 10A

Visit APP.com at 3:30 today for a live stream of Gov.Christies town hall on taxes.

ASBURY PARK PRESS APP.COM $1.50

TUESDAY 06.28.16

VOLUME137

NUMBER 154

SINCE 1879

ADVICE 8D

CLASSIFIED 9D

COMICS 7D

HEALTHY LIVING 1D

LOCAL 3A

OBITUARIES 6A

OPINION 9A

SPORTS 1C

TECH TUESDAY 4A

WEATHER 8C

The U.S. Supreme Courtstrikes down Texas restric-

tions on abortion clinics. 1B

Northvs.SouthShore shines,

but North gets

the win in the

All-Star Classic.

Sports, 1C

TRENTON - On a day where the state budget wasovershadowed by the drama involving a proposed 23-cent gas tax hike, the state Senate on Monday approvedthe fiscal 2017 budget, agreeing on a proposal thatspends about $275 million more than Gov. Chris Chris-tie had proposed and reduces the state surplus by $100million.

The $34.8 billion spending plan was approved in theSenate 28-11 in a largely party-line vote and made anumber of changes to the budget proposed by Christieearlier this year. By 9 p.m., however, the Assembly hadyet to take up the budget proposal, with lawmakers in-stead spending the day huddling to find a compromisewith Christie on the proposed gasoline tax hike to fund

$34.8B spending plan includes $45Mto fully fund senior property tax freeze

PAYTON GUION

AND MIKE DAVIS

See BUDGET, Page 8A

TOMS RIVER - Jon Bon Jovi was on the menu Sat-urday at the Soul Kitchen restaurant in the townsBEAT Center.

The rocker surprised Carol Cesario, who is fightingstage 4 lung cancer, by joining her and her family fordinner. He came up behind Cesario, rubbed her backand kissed her before sitting down for two hours.

Cesarios family was in on the surprise.We kept it a secret for almost a month, said Cesa-

rios daughter, Rosie Skripkunis, to the Asbury ParkPress. It was worth it keeping it from her.

Bon Jovi had dinner, gave Cesario a guitar and treat-ed the family to a preview of the upcoming Bon Jovialbum, This House is Not For Sale.

Bon Jovi surprises fan battling cancerCHRIS JORDAN@CHRISFHJORDAN

See SURPRISE, Page 8A

MARLBORO - Aurora Tropper wants justice for herdaughter and she says the five-year plea deal for theman who admitted causing her daughters death isntlong enough.

So many children have died because of people like(Joseph) Stovall who drive under the influence, saidTropper, 49, from her home in Marlboro on Monday.

Five years is not enough time for him to sit in jailand learn a lesson. He should get 25 to 30 years, she

said.Stovall, 48, of Long Branch, admitted Friday in Supe-

rior Court he was under the influence of Xanax withouta prescription the evening he was driving a car thatkilled Victoria Tropper, 21, and injured Thomas E. Tri-ano, 52, of Cherry Hill.

Xanax is a sedative used to treat anxiety and panicdisorders.

So now Tropper said she plans to ask legislators to

Mom: 5 years not enough for daughters killerDAN RADEL@DANIELRADELAPP

COURTESY OF AURORA TROPPER

Left: Victoria Tropper. Right: Aurora Tropper looks at photos ofher daughter, who was killed in 2013 in Long Branch. See MOTHER, Page 8A