• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

The Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling hands the U.S. economy a $7.7 trillion win

1

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

The Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling hands the U.S. economy a $7.7 trillion win
gasoline prices

Why New Jersey’s Famously Cheap Gas May End Tomorrow

By
Brad Tuttle
Brad Tuttle
and
Money
Money
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Brad Tuttle
Brad Tuttle
and
Money
Money
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 30, 2016, 10:54 AM ET
Gas Prices Continue To Drop
WOODBRIDGE, NJ - AUGUST 25: A motorist at a Raceway Petroleum station pumps gas on August 25, 2015 in Woodbridge, New Jersey. Some places in New Jersey are seeing prices under two dollars as the price of gasoline continues to fall. (Photo by Yvonne Hemsey/Getty Images)Yvonne Hemsey Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

This story was originally published on Money.com.

New Jersey may be more famous for Bruce Springsteen than it is for its unusual gas station practices. (That’s a reference to Springsteen’s “Born to Run” lyrics above, by the way.) But the gas stations of the Garden State are indeed distinctive: Not only is it one of only two states that don’t let motorists pump their own gas—Oregon is the other—but New Jersey also traditionally has had among the lowest gas taxes in the nation.

The state fuel tax has been stuck at 14.5¢ per gallon in New Jersey since 1988. Only drivers filling up in gas-happy Alaska face lower fuel taxes, at 11.3¢. Jersey’s gas taxes are significantly less expensive than the 50.4¢ tax in bordering Pennsylvania, and it’s obviously a huge reason why gas in New Jersey is so cheap: At the moment, N.J. is one of only nine states where a gallon of regular is averaging $2.10 or less.

It looks like New Jersey’s semi-free ride could be ending, however. Sometime after midnight on Monday, Gov. Chris Christie cut a deal with the state assembly to raise the gas tax by 23¢—nearly double the current rate—while at the same time slashing the state sales tax, from the current 7% to 6% by January 2018. As the Wall Street Journal reported, it’s very much up in the air whether or not the state senate will support the plan—and their support is needed for the proposal to pass. If it does, the new tax would go into effect this Friday, July 1.

Read Next: As Gas Prices Go Down, Likelihood of Higher Gas Taxes Goes Up

Understandably, many New Jersey drivers are rooting against the gas tax hike. “Personally, I think 23 cents is pretty excessive,” Phil Esain, of Edgewater Park, told the (Burlington County) Intelligence. “In Burlington County, we’re pretty much already destroyed on property taxes. And now we’re going to pay that much more to be able to go to work, basically.”

Indeed, New Jersey has the highest property taxes in the nation according to most measures. For decades, New Jersey homeowners could take some consolation in the fact that cheap gas was a tradeoff for crazy property taxes.

But if the new gas tax becomes a reality, that minor bragging point will disappear. New Jersey would go from the second-lowest fuel tax rates in the country to one of the highest. According to the American Petroleum Institute, New Jersey’s combined federal (18.4¢) and state taxes (14.5¢) now total 32.9¢. Add 23¢ to that, and you get 55.9¢, well above the national average (48.04¢) and cheaper only than six states (Pennsylvania, Washington, New York, Hawaii, California, and Connecticut).

Even so, the combination of a higher gas tax and a lower sales tax would actually save the average New Jersey resident some money—$92 annually, to be exact, according to a study cited by NJ.com. On the other hand, a driver who logs 15,000 miles per year on the road will cough up an extra $150 to $200 annually if the tax tweaks are approved. The people most hurt by the new taxes would be workers with long commutes and others who put in long hours on the roads, while non-drivers and big spenders at New Jersey’s famed malls could see a substantial windfall.

For now at least, there are no plans to change the other thing that makes New Jersey’s gas stations unique. This year, Oregon has begun allowing drivers to pump their own gas under certain circumstances—in rural areas between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. So that leaves New Jersey as the only state where self-service gas is altogether banned. It’s nice, if somewhat puzzling, that a station attendant will always pump your gas in New Jersey. But something tells us most drivers would prefer the gas was 23¢ cheaper.

About the Authors
By Brad Tuttle
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Money
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Trump’s 927-page disclosure is just a normal Tuesday for direct indexing and crypto wealth managers
InvestingDonald Trump
Trump’s 927-page disclosure is just a normal Tuesday for direct indexing and crypto wealth managers
By Catherina GioinoJuly 1, 2026
9 hours ago
US President Donald Trump sits in silence with his hands folded on top of each other.
CryptoDonald Trump
Inside Trump’s $1.4 billion crypto empire: Altcoins, Bitcoin—and a stake in Michael Saylor’s Strategy
By Camila Grigera NaónJuly 1, 2026
10 hours ago
The 6 Best Exercise Bikes of 2026: Fitness Expert Reviewed
HealthDietary Supplements
The 6 Best Exercise Bikes of 2026: Fitness Expert Reviewed
By Christina SnyderJuly 1, 2026
10 hours ago
Mark Zandi, Moody's chief economist.
EconomyU.S. economy
‘It’s fair to ask whether it was worth it’: The Iran war has cost Americans $1,000 per household—and that’s a conservative estimate, Mark Zandi says
By Tristan BoveJuly 1, 2026
13 hours ago
Melania Trump NFT earnings surge 28x in 2025 as the First Lady rakes in nearly $17 million in total earnings, filing shows
PoliticsDonald Trump
Melania Trump NFT earnings surge 28x in 2025 as the First Lady rakes in nearly $17 million in total earnings, filing shows
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 1, 2026
13 hours ago
Donald Trump sits at his desk in the Oval Office, smiling and with his hands folded in front of him.
PoliticsDonald Trump
Trump got a $78K pension from the Screen Actors Guild in 2025 because he appeared in Home Alone 2 in 1992
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 1, 2026
14 hours ago

Most Popular

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
Big Tech
As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 1, 2026
1 day ago
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
7 days ago
The Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling hands the U.S. economy a $7.7 trillion win
Newsletters
The Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling hands the U.S. economy a $7.7 trillion win
By Diane BradyJuly 1, 2026
22 hours ago
Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 1, 2026
18 hours ago
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
5 days ago
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
Success
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
By Sydney LakeJune 29, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.