Lawmakers said Monday that selling or leasing roads such as the New Jersey Turnpike and axing pensions for new legislators are among the plans that could lower New Jersey’s highest-in-the-nation property taxes. State Senate President Richard Codey said money earned from transferring control of the Turnpike or Garden State Parkway to an outside entity not only could allow the state to slash property taxes by an average of 20 percent, but also increase school funding by $1 billion. “That figure is in the ballpark,” Codey said as lawmakers continued putting finishing touches on property tax reform recommendations expected to be released by Wednesday. Meanwhile, a committee considering how to revise public worker benefits to ease property taxes moved closer to finalizing recommendations for newly hired employees, including cutting pensions by 9 percent and eliminating taxpayer-funded pensions for new state legislators. The developments came as Gov. Jon S. Corzine promoted capping annual property tax increases at 4 percent annually. Property taxes have been increasing 7 percent annually. Last week, Codey and Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts Jr. announced plans for a 20 percent tax credit paid by the state directly to homeowners. The committee hasn’t made any final decisions but is leaning toward reforms for new workers that would: Increase the retirement age from 55 to 62. Eliminate a 9 percent pension increase approved five years ago. Request Corzine require new employees to contribute to health care costs as he negotiates new labor contracts. Eliminate publicly funded pensions for new part-time legislators, employees and appointed officials. Require people with more than one public job to base a pension on one job and cap the salary that can be used to calculate a pension, starting at $94,000 per year.