Budget accord erases NY-NJ rail tunnel funds
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-ChiefThe congressional budget accord reached late Friday night, averting a federal government shutdown, has in essence evaporated $271 million New Jersey forfeited, then sought to reclaim, for transit purposes.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie continued to seek the funding for New Jersey transport and/or transit projects after rejecting a proposed trans-Hudson River rail tunnel linking New Jersey and New York, for which the funding was intended. But a six-day continuing resolution, in place until Congress presumably approves the larger budget agreement, cuts $2 billion from current spending, of which the trans-Hudson tunnel funds was a part.
Two New Jersey congressional representatives voted against the budget measure—Rep. Frank Pallone and Rep. Rush Holt (both Democrats). A third Democrat whose district lies near Philadelphia, Rep. Rob Andrews, voted for the measure while noting the tunnel funding became an easy choice for budget cutters because Gov. Christie had rejected the money.
