Gov. Murphy talks NJ Transit fares, Menendez

Intro YOU'RE FINE. AND THE RAILS RUNNING ON OR CLOSE. ROSEANNE AND DAN, BACK TO YOU. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. WELL, TRANSIT RIDERS IN NEW JERSEY HAVE BEEN BATTLING A SUMMER OF MASSIVE HEADACHES. >> THEY HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH FREQUENTLY DELAYED AND CANCELED TRAINS FOR MONTHS. AND THAT'S WHY THIS MORNING WE'RE PUTTING THE SPOTLIGHT ON NJ TRANSIT. JOINING US TO TALK MORE ABOUT THIS IS THE GOVERNOR OF NEW NJ Transit JERSEY, PHIL MURPHY. GOVERNOR NICE TO HAVE YOU BACK ON GOOD DAY NEW YORK. >> THANK YOU, ROSEANNE, AND DAN, THANKS FOR HAVING ME. >> SO NJ TRANSIT HAS TESTED THE PATIENCE OF THE PEOPLE IN YOUR STATE. WHAT IS GOING ON? >> YEAH, INCLUDING MY PATIENCE. I HAVE TO SAY, IT'S BEEN A IT'S BEEN A REALLY UGLY SUMMER. I THINK JUNE WAS ONE OF THE WORST MONTHS WE'VE HAD. HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS. THE TRAJECTORY FROM WHERE WE WERE TO WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE'RE GOING IS VERY POSITIVE. BUT GOOD LUCK TELLING THAT TO SOMEBODY WHO'S STUCK IN A TRAIN UNDER THE HUDSON RIVER FOR 2 OR 3 HOURS, WE HAD AGAIN, JUNE IS THE EXAMPLE. I'LL USE 69% ON TIME PERFORMANCE THAT THAT NORMALLY WOULD BE 80 PLUS PERCENT. NOW, A LOT OF THIS IS DUE TO AMTRAK INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT SOME OF IT'S, ON NJ TRANSIT'S HANDS AS WELL. WE WANT TO END THE SUMMER, FOLKS, ON A GRACE NOTE. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THIS WILL CURE EVERYONE'S LACK OF PATIENCE, UNDERSTANDABLY, BUT I'M ANNOUNCING RIGHT NOW. BEGINNING MONDAY, AUGUST 26TH THROUGH LABOR DAY, SEPTEMBER 2ND, NJ TRANSIT IN ALL OF ITS FORMS TRAINS, BUSSES, LIGHT RAIL WILL BE FREE OF CHARGE. WHAT? >> LITERALLY FREE. WAIT, WAIT. NO NO NO. SAY THAT AGAIN ONE MORE TIME BECAUSE I DON'T THINK I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY. FREE OF CHARGE. >> FREE OF CHARGE, A FAIR HOLIDAY. YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY ONE PENNY FROM THE EARLIEST TRAIN OR BUS ON MONDAY, AUGUST 26TH TILL THE LAST TRAIN OR BUS DEEP INTO THE EVENING ON LABOR DAY, SEPTEMBER 2ND, AND EVERY DAY IN BETWEEN. NJ TRANSIT TRAINS, BUSSES AND LIGHT RAIL ARE FREE OF CHARGE, SO THAT WOULD BE A SOLID WEEK. >> THAT'S A SOLID WEEK OF FREE FARE, IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING FOR THE PEOPLE OF NEW JERSEY. I MEAN, ESSENTIALLY TO MAKE UP FOR SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY HAD IN THE EARLY PART OF THE SUMMER. >> IT IS, I'D SAY, LESS THAN A MAKEUP, BECAUSE I'M NOT NAIVE ENOUGH TO THINK THAT IF YOU'VE HAD THE SUMMER THAT OUR COMMUTERS HAVE HAD, THAT ONE WEEK WILL DO IT, BUT IT IS AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND THANKING OUR OUR THOUSANDS, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CUSTOMERS, A TIP OF THE CAP AND THE SUMMER ON A GRACE NOTE. BY THE WAY, IF YOU'RE A MONTHLY FARE PERSON, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. WE'LL GIVE YOU A 25% DISCOUNT ON YOUR SEPTEMBER MONTHLY PACKAGE TO MAKE UP FOR THIS LAST WEEK OF AUGUST. >> BUT HOW CAN YOU AFFORD THAT? I MEAN, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE WANT YOU TO FIX NJ TRANSIT, WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS GOING TO COST A LOT OF MONEY, AND THEN KIND OF GIVING IT AWAY FOR A WEEK, IS THAT OKAY? >> WELL, LISTEN, IT GIVEN THE, THE, THE, THE LACK OF SERVICE THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE SUMMER, I THINK IT'S THE LEAST WE CAN D. WE ARE FIXING IT. WE JUST RAISED A CORPORATE TRANSIT FEE THAT WILL RAISE ANNUALLY BETWEEN 800 MILLION AND $1 BILLION TO DO WHAT NJ TRANSIT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO GET NEW EQUIPMENT. ETC, THAT'S GOING TO TAKE CARE OF ITSELF. THIS IS A TIP OF THE CAP TO SAY THANK YOU. THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE, WE'RE NOT YOU'RE NOT HAPPY WITH THE PERFORMANCE THIS SUMMER NEITHER ARE WE. NEITHER AM I. PERSONALLY, I'M EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED. AGAIN, A LOT OF THIS IS OUT OF OUR HANDS. >> AND GOVERNOR, YOU TALK ABOUT IT THERE. AMTRAK HAS HAS HAD SOME OF THESE ISSUES, AND SOME OF IT IS SPECIFICALLY HAS TO DO WITH SOME OF THOSE OVERHEAD WIRES. AND WE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE SAID THAT THEY NEED TO FIX THIS. WHAT ARE YOU SEEING IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL THINGS THAT ARE BEING DONE? ARE THERE ACTUAL PROJECTS UNDERWAY NOW TO FIX THIS? >> VERY MUCH SO. I CALLED A SUMMIT IN LATE JUNE BETWEEN AMTRAK AND NJ TRANSIT. THERE ARE DAILY MEETINGS, WORKING GROUPS AMTRAK HAS APPLIED FOR $300 MILLION IN FEDERAL GRANTS TO FIX THOSE OVERHEAD WIRES. THE CATENARY WIRES, WHICH BECOME VERY FINICKY IN IN HIGH HEAT DAYS, WHICH WE'VE HAD A LOT OF THIS SUMMER, SO WE'RE WORKING. WE HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH AMTRAK. SO WHILE TWO THIRDS OF OUR DELAYS PLUS OR MINUS ARE DUE TO AMTRAK INFRASTRUCTURE, WE HAVE A VERY GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM AND WE ARE TOGETHER TRYING TO CURE THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAD. THIS SUMMER. AGAIN, DAN, THE LONG TERM TRAJECTORY WHERE WE FOUND NJ TRANSIT IN JANUARY OF 2018 TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, THE IMPROVEMENT IS ACROSS THE BOARD. BUT AGAIN, GOOD LUCK. GOOD LUCK TELLING THAT TO A COMMUTER WHO'S HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS SUMMER. AND THIS AGAIN IS A TIP OF THE CAP TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND PATIENCE. >> DOES IT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO? AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW I CAN BE A CYNIC, GOVERNOR. DOES IT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO THAT? THIS IS AN Politics ELECTION YEAR AND DEMOCRATS NEED TO GET EVERYBODY ON BOARD. >> NO, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT. IN FACT, IN NEW JERSEY, OUR KEY ELECTIONS ARE ARE IN ODD NUMBER YEARS IN TERMS OF GOVERNORS, STATE SENATORS AND ASSEMBLYMEN. AND THIS IS A NEW JERSEY ISSUE. WE'VE GOT A FEDERAL DELEGATION THAT'S ALL UP FOR REELECTION. WE'VE GOT A PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT TO ELECT. AND I'M THRILLED WITH OUR TICKET, BY THE WAY, COULD NOT BE HAPPIER WITH THE PAST FEW WEEKS, BUT THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH POLITICS. THIS IS PURELY BETWEEN NJ TRANSIT AND ITS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF LOYAL COMMUTERS WHO HAVE SUFFERED MIGHTILY THIS SUMMER, AND, GOVERNOR, TALKING ABOUT POLITICS HERE, WE KNOW THAT YOU'VE MADE AN ANNOUNCEMEN, OR YOU'RE AT LEAST PLANNING TO ANNOUNCE THE REPLACEMENT OF SENATOR MENENDEZ'S SEAT, POTENTIALLY AT THE END OF THIS MONTH. >> WHAT ARE WHAT ARE YOU SAYING ABOUT THAT? >> YES. SENATOR MENENDEZ HAS ANNOUNCED HE'S RESIGNING NEXT TUESDAY. THERE'S A LOT OF RUMORS OUT THERE IN PARTICULAR AROUND THAT GUY WHO'S A WONDERFUL HUMAN BEING, GEORGE HELMY. BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, THERE'S NOTHING OFFICIAL YET. STAY TUNED. I THINK WE'LL HAVE NEWS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, BUT I PROMISE YOU, WE'LL PUT SOMEBODY INTO THAT SEAT WHO HAS JERSEY VALUES AND WILL DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN. SO YOU'RE SAYING AT THIS POINT YOU HAVEN'T DECIDED WHETHER OR NOT IT'S GOING TO BE YOUR FORMER STAFFER, GEORGE HELMY THERE. >> THAT'S THAT'S THE RUMOR THAT'S BEEN OUT THERE. >> YEP. THAT IS THE RUMOR. HE'S A GREAT GUY, GREAT PROFESSIONAL, GREAT HUMAN BEING, BUT NOTHING OFFICIAL. NOTHING. NOTHING TO REPORT. >> ALL RIGHT? SOMEBODY IS HAVING A BIG BIRTHDAY TOMORROW. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. WHAT ARE WE DOING, ROSETTA? >> I'M NOT SURE. 67 IS A BIG ONE, BUT, THANK YOU FOR THAT. SPENDING TIME WITH THE FAMILY AS I TRY TO DO EVERY, EVERY BIRTHDAY. BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT, GOVERNOR. >> WE KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO THE DNC NEXT WEEK, AND THAT THAT YOU WILL BE THERE. WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS THERE IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU THINK THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE? >> WELL, LISTEN, THIS THE HARRIS WALZ TICKET IS ON A ROLL, AND THE TRUMP VANCE TEAM CAN'T GET OUT OF THEIR OWN WAY. SO IF YOU'RE ON OUR SIDE OF THE AISLE, YOU COULDN'T HAVE HAD A BETTER THREE AND A HALF WEEKS. AND I FULLY EXPECT THAT THAT WILL EXTEND NOT JUST IN THE NEXT WEEK, BUT BEYOND. AND I THINK CHICAGO IS GOING TO BE A GREAT GATHERING OF DEMOCRATS, OF PROUD AMERICANS WILL NOMINATE AN EXTRAORDINARY TICKET, THAT STANDS FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT WE AS AMERICANS CARE ABOUT, ESPECIALLY THOSE KITCHEN TABLE ISSUES. I KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? >> I IT FEELS LIKE YOU KNOW, THE VICE PRESIDENT HAS CHANGED HER STANCE ON IMMIGRATION AND MIGRANTS. AND AS YOU KNOW, THAT IS THE ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE THINGS THAT PEOPLE CARE ABOUT RIGHT NOW. AND SHE HAS DECLARED THE BORDER SAFE AND SECURE. YEARS AGO. WE'RE DEALING WITH THE AFTERMATH HERE. AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT WE DO IN NEW JERSEY, BUT IN NEW YORK, WE'RE DEALING WITH A SURGE IN MIGRANT CRIME. >> YEAH. SO WE DON'T HAVE AT THE LEVEL THAT NEW YORK CITY HAS FOR SURE. AND WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH ERIC ADAMS AND HIS TEAM AND ALSO WITH GOVERNOR HOCHUL AND HER TEAM. WE'RE BLESSED WITH REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIPS, WITH BOTH WITH BOTH ENTITIES AND BOTH INDIVIDUALS, THE IMMIGRATION. LISTEN, WE NEED COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM, A GROUP OF BIPARTISAN SENATORS CAME TOGETHER WITH THE SUPPORT OF PRESIDENT BIDEN AND VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, TO ACTUALLY COME UP WITH A VERY PAINFUL. BUT I BELIEVE, EFFECTIVE PLAN. AND THE TRUMP TEAM SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT WALK AWAY FROM THAT BECAUSE IMMIGRATION IS TOO GOOD AN ELECTORAL ISSUE. BELIEVE IT OR NOT. AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED, WHICH IS A TRAGEDY. I KNOW, BUT THE PRESIDENT COULD HAVE DONE IT WAS BIPARTISAN. IMPORTANTLY IT WAS BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE. >> BUT THE PRESIDENT BIDEN UNDID WHAT TRUMP PUT IN PLACE WITHIN DAYS OF TAKING OFFICE, AND HE COULD HAVE UNDONE IT WITH HIS PEN. >> YEAH, ROSANNA, THOUGH, I WILL TELL YOU TO GET STATUE TO GET A LAW PASSED IN CONGRESS SIGNED BY AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT IS PERMANENT, AN EXECUTIVE ORDER CAN COME AND GO. I LIVE THAT IN NEW JERSEY. I'D ALWAYS PREFER A STATUTE, A LAW OVER AN EXECUTIVE ORDER. AND WE HAD A DEAL BETWEEN DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS. AND THE TRUMP TEAM UNDID IT, WHICH I THINK IS SHAMEFUL. >> NO SHORTAGE OF DEBATE COMING UP. THE BIG HEADLINE THIS MORNING, THOUGH, FROM GOVERNOR MURPHY, THAT THERE WILL BE A NO FAIR ON NEW JERSEY TRANSIT FROM AUGUST 26TH THROUGH SEPTEMBER SECOND. THAT NEWS BREAKING RIGHT HERE ON GOOD DAY NEW YORK THIS MORN