ASBURY PARK PRESS

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MONDAY 10.26.15

THE COSTS OF LIVING IN NEW JERSEY

TOLLS IN N.J. AND N.Y.

HIGHEST IN THE NATION
Lacey schools Business Administrator James
Savage, 59, will retire from his position
the second-highest-paid public school post
in Ocean County on Dec. 31.
COURTESY OF LACEY TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT

Top 10 toll
agencies, by
revenue (2013)

A tax by any other name: Motorists in

the Garden State pay one-fifth of all
tolls collected across the entire U.S.

New Jersey
Turnpike Authority

MIKE DAVIS @BYMIKEDAVIS

$1.4 billion

With a treasure trove of podcasts and skyline views, there are

times during Matt Wells morning commute to New York when he
starts to enjoy it.
But then he hits the tollbooth. He doesnt interact with a human
being attached to his windshield he has an EZ-Pass transponder, one of 28 million across the country. But as the gate rises near
the Lincoln Tunnel, he sighs.
Theres 12 bucks down the drain, he said last week, shortly
after filling up his Chevy at a New Jersey Turnpike rest stop. Its
another 5 or 6 for the Turnpike, too. I can deal with the traffic and
everything else. But I feel like were stuck with the tolls, no matter what.
Of the $13 billion collected by U.S. toll agencies in the United
States, two major New Jersey authorities the New Jersey

Port Authority
of New York
& New Jersey

$1.3 billion
Metropolitan
Transit Authority

$1.2 billion
TOTAL U.S. toll agencies:

$13 billion

See TOLLS, Page 12A

See a video and comment

online at www.app.com

JERRYS JOBS

Zombie-for-a-night gig at Six Flags

reveals the fun of the gift of fright
JERRY CARINO CARINOS CORNER
JACKSON - He was the perfect
victim. A teenager fresh blood!
preoccupied with tying his shoe.
I crept up from behind and unleashed a ghoulish groan. The young
man jumped backward with a yelp,
then called me a bad word.
Being a zombie is awesome.
Thats my takeaway from a Saturday night stint working Fright Fest, the wildly
popular fall tradition at Six Flags Great Adventure.
Its been around since 1993, long before the current
zombie craze, and draws tens of thousands of people
each weekend.
Most of these folks want to be scared, and the
zombies deliver. There are 200 of them roaming the
park with shovels and chainsaws and blood splattered on their faces. Its The Walking Dead amid
roller coasters and cotton candy.

USA TODAY

LACEY - The Lacey Township School Districts

business administrator, who oversaw the construction of two schools, 11 building additions and numerous facilities projects, is preparing to retire after 27
years on the job.
James Savage, 59, will leave Dec. 31, according to
the district.
Mr. Savage has been an asset to our school district
and our community, Board of Education President
Maureen Tirella said in a prepared statement. He
provided consistent and steadfast financial advice
that allowed our school community to expand, build
the Middle School which was finished on time and
under budget and complete the green energy project, which annually provides revenue to our district.
His retirement will be a great loss to our district.
Savage is the school districts highest-paid employee, with a salary of $201,197. He was the ninth-highestpaid business administrator in New Jersey last year,
according to state Department of Education records.
Savage was also the second-highest-paid public
school employee in Ocean County in the 2014-15 school
year, second only to Toms River Regional Schools Superintendent David M. Healy.
When he retires, Savage will receive an annual pension of $107,914 for his nearly 34 years working in public schools, according to the New Jersey Treasury Department. Before joining Laceys district in 1988, Savage worked in Rahway and Passaic County schools.
He holds a bachelors degree in accounting from
Montclair State College and a masters degree in educational administration from Kean College.
In addition to his $8,992-per-month pension payment, Savage has 180 unused sick days valued at
$615.51per day. If he uses no more sick days before the
end of the year, he will be paid $110,791.80 for the time,
according to Lacey Schools Superintendent Sandra
Anthony.
He will also be paid $30,775.50 if he uses no more of
his 50 banked vacation days.

accolades or recognition, but he

deserves so much of it and more. ... I
can say without hesitation that his
shoes will never, ever be filled.
PETER ACKERMAN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

SANDRA ANTHONY,
LACEY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

IRAQI ESCAPEES TELL OF ISLAMIC STATE GROUPS BRUTAL RULE PAGE 1B

After three straight losses, the Dallas Cowboys turned to Matt

Cassel as quarterback, but as the 11-year journeyman tried to
make plays Tony Romo could pull off in his sleep, the Giants
made a trio of second-half interceptions to turn the game in
their favor. Sports, 1D

4C
10A
6C
5C
3A

AMANDA OGLESBY @OGLESBYAPP

Mr. Savage has never looked for

Big Blues big D

defeats Dallas

ADVICE
BUSINESS
CLASSIFIED
COMICS
LOCAL

34-year public career to

net him $108K pension

See RETIRE, Page 12A

Press writer Jerry Carino is made up as a zombie for the

Fright Fest at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson.

See CARINO, Page 8A

Lacey
schools
official set
to retire

LOTTERIES
OBITUARIES
OPINION
SPORTS
WEATHER

2A
11A
13A
1D
10D

VOLUME 136
NUMBER 256
SINCE 1879

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