NJ Faces Hefty Price Tag for Rail Tunnel, Transportation Projects
Governor, Legislature need plan to fund Gateway Tunnel, Transportation Trust Fund by 2015
This is the first in a series of articles laying out the critical policy challenges that the next governor and Legislature will face, as well as their positions on these issues.
Two years from now, New Jersey’s governor and Legislature will not only have to come up with an $8 billion plan to fund the Transportation Trust Fund for another five years, but also $3 billion or more if they want New Jersey Transit trains to be able to use Amtrak’s Gateway Tunnel into New York’s Penn Station.
These are two of the most difficult fiscal challenges that the winner of the November 5 gubernatorial election will face, and Republican Gov. Chris Christie and his challenger, Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex), staked out opposing positions on the importance of a new rail tunnel long before the campaign began. (Magyar/NJSpotlight)
I believe it is foolish to be against the rail tunnel eventually it will happen and at a greater cost.
You made a choice to work in NYC. I’m not inclined to pay higher taxes so that you don’t have to switch trains in secaucus or hop on the Path train in Hoboken. If the feds want to pay for it in order to employ their union supporters, so be it. I’d rather see the funds spent on roads and bridges that benefit a lot more taxpayers than those who take the train.
#2, you do realize that people taking mass transit will offset other infrastructure costs?
And since we’re taking self centered libertarian (but I repeat myself) positions:
I work in NYC so I am not inclined to pay higher taxes so you don’t have to sit in traffic on your way to your office in Parsippany. I’d rather see the funds spent on mass transit, which benefits a lot more taxpayers than those who clog our roads and fill our air with emissions one person per vehicle.
See how that works?
#3 I work from home and don’t commute anywhere so I don’t give a crap about you or any other commuters that are used to subsidized transportation so you can get big bucks working in NYC.
I was smart enough to create something. See how that works?