Gov. Phil Murphy has rejected a measure that would have allowed New Jersey towns to install so-called smart meters capable of automatically issuing parking tickets, NJ Advance Media has learned.

Proponents of the technology have argued it brings the age-old process of feeding coins into a meter into the 21st Century by allowing drivers to pay by credit card and even feed the meter with an app on their phone.

But Murphy sided with critics, who called it a money grab.

In his veto message, the Democratic governor argued he’s “concerned that the proliferation of these meters would dramatically increase the number of parking tickets issued across the state.”

The bill (A4135) would have permitted towns to “use a digital parking meter or other electronic parking compliance device.” It would have also tacked on a $2 surcharge to parking violations for a new “Designated Drivers to Prevent Drunk Driving Fatalities Fund,” which would pay for awareness programs.

Towns would have used the camera-equipped devices to issue tickets by mail after the footage is reviewed by police or parking enforcement staff.

Murphy, in his veto message, said municipalities in search of quick cash should look to the state’s wealthiest instead of “extracting additional money from low-and-middle-income New Jerseyans."

He returned to a familiar theme in his veto message.

Murphy fought and lost two battles with the state’s Democratic-controlled Legislature for a millionaires tax in both of the budgets he’s signed as governor.

“If we are going to seek additional revenue to support important public priorities, I firmly believe that we should first ask those at the very top, such as those with incomes in excess of $1 million, to pay their fair share,” Murphy wrote.

He added: “I believe that the use of digital parking meters and the likely flood of parking tickets that would result will make New Jersey less affordable.”

The bill was sent to the governor’s desk by the Democratic-controlled Legislature largely on party lines.

State Sen. Declan O’Scanlon, R-Monmouth, who led a fight in the state to get rid of red-light cameras, was among the outspoken critics of the proposal.

“Automated enforcement of any laws where it’s privatized as well to a certain point becomes about making money to the entities supplying the equipment and to the municipalities,” he said. “You can’t mistake that.”

He lauded the governor’s veto.

“I applaud the governor for this action,” he said. "Automated, for-profit enforcement of any law inevitably becomes more about revenue generation than safety or accountability. His reasoning, aside from his dragging in another call for higher taxes, was sound and his conclusion correct.”

The smart meter bill passed the state Assembly in January by a 55-20 vote and the state Senate in June, 23-12.

NJ Advance Media staff writer S.P. Sullivan contributed to this report.

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.com’s newsletters.