The search for cheap gas close to the Hudson Valley is now much harder!

Starting Tuesday, the tax on gas in New Jersey is increasing from 14.5 cents per gallon to 37.5 cents a gallon.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and the state legislature approved the increase to fund the state’s Transportation Trust Fund. Officials in New Jersey deemed the tax hike necessary after the state ran out of money to pay for transportation projects, reports the New York Daily News.

The 23-cent tax increase means New Jersey goes from having the second lowest gas tax in the nation to having the sixth highest.

Despite the first tax increase since 1988, New Jersey will still have lower gas taxes than New York, which is one of the highest taxes in the nation.

However, it’s unclear how much the tax hike will cut into New Jersey gas stations’ business from nonresidents, many that came from the Hudson Valley.

Orange County residents often traveled the short distance across state borders for cheaper gas. The same is true for people in Rockland County. Others would stop for lower priced gas during their commutes to and from work or vacations.

What do you think of the gas tax increase? Will this affect your wallet? Or will you see little to no affects? And, is there any reason to travel to the Garden State now?

Let us now in the comments below or on our Facebook page.

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