NY-NJ Governors Reach Tunnel Deal Allowing Federal Taxpayers to Fund Most

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President Trump’s senior officials slammed the NY-NJ Gateway Tunnel Project deal that Governors Chris Christie and Andrew Cuomo came up with and it was the appropriate reaction. Being in New York, I can say the tunnel is needed, but the problem is these two governors, of the highest taxed-states in the country, think federal taxpayers should fund most of it.

These states waste money on those things that feather the politicos nests. The two governors agreed to a deal that has federal funds paying half and low-interest federal loans and federal grants paying the other half.

In a joint statement they committed to pay half of new Gateway tunnel,” and the federal government will fund the other half of the multibillion-dollar project [though the Trump administration has made no such commitment]. The problem is their half would be paid with federal loans through the Department of Transportation’s Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) loan program and federal grants.

The states had a handshake deal with Obama in 2015 to fund their half in cash.

Chuck Schumer praised the joint announcement by New York and New Jersey, saying in a statement that Cuomo and Christie had “done their part.”

“Now that New York and New Jersey have done their part, and reached a funding plan, it’s time for the president to commit to fully fund the vital Gateway tunnel project because it is so important to our regional and national economy,” Schumer said in a statement. “The ball—and the future of the Gateway tunnels—is in the president’s court now.”

How nice that they reached a deal and have “done their party” which federal taxpayers have to support.

They’re also getting money from the $1 trillion infrastructure project. The left-wing states will get more of this money than many would like.


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Gary Hanson
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Gary Hanson
6 years ago

So they had a deal with Pres. Obama to fund NY/NJ’s part of the project with cash and now expect they can unilaterally decide suddenly that cash should come from Federal grants and loans. That somehow Pres. Trump must rubber stamp their deal, typical east coast fantasy even among lame duck Republicans.