After the New Jersey Senate opted not to take up Chris Christie’s proposed gas tax hike, the Republican governor and potential vice presidential candidate ordered state officials to plan a shutdown of all projects supported by the state’s nearly broke Transportation Trust Fund.



Christie's executive order was announced late Thursday evening. The Democratic-led Senate declined to vote earlier in the day on a deal backed by Christie that would raise the gasoline tax by 23 cents a gallon while reducing the sales tax by 1 percent over two years.



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The Senate supports a different plan, that would increase the gas tax by the same amount but pay for the proposal through phasing out the estate tax, creating a charitable giving tax deduction and other changes.

Hiking the gas tax at the federal level, which hasn't been done in over 20 years, has so far remained elusive in Washington.



Christie ordered transportation officials to submit plans by midnight on Saturday for shutting down all state and municipal roadwork paid for by the trust fund. The remaining money in the fund would be prioritized for essential projects, while federally funded projects could continue.



In April, the transportation commissioner estimated that the state’s trust fund, which finances road, bridge and rail projects, would have about $85 million left by the end of June, and enough to keep construction projects going through the beginning of August.



Christie, who reportedly is on Donald Trump's short list for running mate, said in a statement that the order is necessary "to take action before the funds are depleted and carefully ration the existing funds.”



He also slammed the Senate for not taking up his gas tax deal.



"The Senate's inaction ignored the benefits the package would bring to the overburdened taxpayers of New Jersey," Christie said. "The Senate's inaction also ignored New Jersey's necessary transportation infrastructure improvements, as well as the hundreds of private-sector workers who came to Trenton today with their jobs hanging in the balance.”