In a letter sent today, Senator Jennifer Beck asked Governor David Patterson of New York to contribute to the cost of the $7.5 billion trans-Hudson rail tunnel. The current breakdown of costs for the tunnel is $1.5 billion from New Jersey, $3.5 billion from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and $3 billion from federal sources.
The letter reads, in part “We…believe that New York has as much to gain from the tunnel project as New Jersey. The ARC project will provide important access to New York City and will help grow the City and State’s economy. The tunnel will bring more commuters and tourists into the city. These additional workers will pay New York State income taxes and contribute to the state’s sales tax collections.”
“The cost of such a key addition to the region’s transportation system, which will be tremendously beneficial to the entire northeast region, should not be borne by one state but should be shared equally between New York and New Jersey. With that in mind, we respectfully encourage the State of New York to contribute its fair portion for the ARC project.”
Said Beck, “I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask New York to pay their fair share for a project that will benefit them tremendously. That’s all we’re asking here.”
The letter to Governor Paterson follows:
August 6, 2008
Honorable David A. Paterson
Governor, State of New York
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224
Dear Governor Paterson:
We write to you in regard to the Access to the Region’s Core (ARC) tunnel project. As you are aware, the ARC project will build a new commuter rail line into New York which will double passenger rail capacity between New York and New Jersey by adding 60, 000 seats for commuters from the region.
The estimated cost of the ARC project and related infrastructure is $7.5 billion. Funding will come from the State of New Jersey, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), and federal sources. The breakdown of the funding, as currently proposed, is $1.5 billion from the State of New Jersey, $3 billion from PANYNJ and $3 billion from the federal New Starts Program.
We the undersigned, as representatives of the Legislature of the State of New Jersey, believe that New York has as much to gain from the tunnel project as New Jersey. The ARC project will provide important access to New York City and will help grow the City and State’s economy. The tunnel will bring more commuters and tourists into the city. These additional workers will pay New York State income taxes and contribute to the state’s sales tax collections.
As stated above, New Jersey is individually contributing state resources to help fund the project. However, New York’s contribution only comes from funds from the bi-state agency of the PANYNJ. It is our belief the New York State should shoulder some of the cost of the ARC project, separate and distinct from its portion of the PANYNJ contribution.
The cost of such a key addition to the region’s transportation system, which will be tremendously beneficial to the entire northeast region, should not be borne by one state but should be shared equally between New York and New Jersey. With that in mind, we respectfully encourage the State of New York to contribute its fair portion for the ARC project. Thank you for your immediate consideration of this request.
Sincerely,
Senator Tom Kean, Jr.
Assemblyman Alex DeCroce
Senator Jennifer Beck
Additional Signees
Senator Diane Allen
Senator Bill Baroni
Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman
Senator Anthony Bucco
Senator Gerald Cardinale
Senator Andrew Ciesla
Senator Chris Connors
Senator Philip Haines
Senator Sean Kean
Senator Joseph Kyrillos
Senator Leonard Lance
Senator Kevin O’Toole
Senator Steven Oroho
Senator Joseph Pennacchio
Senator Robert Singer
Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini
Assemblyman Peter Biondi
Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll
Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande
Assemblyman Michael Doherty
Assemblyman Thomas Giblin
Assemblywoman Amy Handlin
Assemblyman Jim Holzapfel
Assemblyman Rich Merkt
Assemblyman Eric Munoz
Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon
Assemblyman Scott Rumana
Assemblyman Jay Webber
Assemblyman David Wolfe
c: Jon Corzine, Governor of New Jersey
Kris Kolluri, New Jersey Commissioner of Transportation
Link to Post:
Similar Posts:
- Beck Urges Governor Corzine to Press N.Y. to Pay Its Fair Share of Trans-Hudson Tunnel
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March 11, 2008 - Oroho, McHose and Chiusano: No Tolls on 78 & 80
April 9, 2008 - Haines to Corzine: Great About New York Toll Plan! Now About the Turnpike…
April 4, 2008 - Beck, O’Scanlon, and Casagrande: Toll Plan Shows Dearth of Leadership and Imagination
September 8, 2008
