Rumana was recently named to the Assembly Transportation, Public Works & Independent Authorities Committee and Education Committees. Top priorities include Gov. Corzine’s proposed toll hike plan and the state’s new school funding issues, both of which will be closely examined, he says.

Corzine’s highly debatable transportation proposal involves increasing tolls 50 percent in 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022. These increases would include inflation adjustments, and after 2022 tolls would increase every four years until 2085 to reflect inflation.

More so, Corzine is looking to pay at least half of the $32 billion debt and fund transportation work for 75 years by creating an independent nonprofit corporation that would manage toll roads and issue bonds paid back with increased tolls.

“I’m excited to be taking part in these important committees,” said Rumana, R-Passaic, Bergen, and Essex. “With the governor’s pending toll hike proposal I expect to be very busy on the transportation committee representing the interests of the commuters who use the Turnpike and Parkway as well as all the New Jersey residents who will be impacted by this plan.”

Rumana is bringing to the committee a lot of knowledge in transportation. While still serving as mayor of Wayne he had a lot of input into the current work currently going in the “Spaghetti Bowl” junction of Routes 23, 46, and 80.

And as future changes are concerned Rumana plans to oversee include connections from 23 south to Route 80 west and from Route 80 east to Route 23 south.

“It’s 40 or 50 years in the making. People have told, me they would never see this in their lifetime and I want to prove them wrong. I especially want to see it happen in my lifetime as a legislature,” said Rumana.

He added, “There’s much work to be done to improve our area’s roadways and to encourage improvements to our mass transit system.”

Rumana, a freshman legislature for the 40^th Legislative District, will also serve on the education committee with Assemblymen David Wolfe and Joseph Malone and Assemblywoman Amy Handlin.

Wayne district received two percent in funding from the state Department of Education. They have received flat funding since Christie Whitman’s administration and the school district is vying for a change. A new school funding formula proposed by Corzine is expected to impact more than 600 districts. The formula has been based on various complex factors, which some include demographics connected to consensus data, income levels, numbers of at-risk students, and property taxes.