Senator Steven Oroho (R-24) and Senator Declan O’Scanlon (R-13) questioned why the Murphy administration would agree to give New York $1 billion of federal transportation aid that should have gone to New Jersey Transit.

Sen. Steven Oroho and Sen. Declan O’Scanlon questioned why the Murphy administration would agree to give New York $1 billion of federal transportation aid that should have gone to NJ Transit. (©iStock)

“How did the Murphy administration get bowled over so badly by our neighbor across the Hudson?” said Oroho, the Senate Republican Budget Officer and incoming Republican Leader. “Instead of refusing the premise of an outrageous proposal, the Murphy administration folded and agreed to give New York everything it wanted and more. NJ Transit farepayers and New Jersey taxpayers will suffer as a result.”

At stake was the division of $14.2 billion in federal pandemic relief funds earmarked for tri-state transportation needs in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

New York refused to abide by a standard formula from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) that has been used previously to split regional transportation grants. 47 other states used the FTA formula to determine how they would split their federal COVID-19 transit funding.

When the dispute was first publicized in July, Oroho urged the Murphy administration to fight back and for New Jersey’s United States senators to get involved.

Oroho has repeatedly called for the Murphy administration to challenge New York’s unfair taxation of New Jerseyans, which costs both the state and individual taxpayers billions of dollars annually.

New York’s initial proposal, as reported in July, would have shifted $673 million in funding that would have gone to NJ Transit under the FTA formula to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

Under the final deal, New Jersey is reported to have given up $1 billion to New York from what it would have received had the FTA formula been applied.

“Looks like New Jersey negotiators did a great job…FOR NEW YORK! It’s mind-boggling that the negotiations went from New York asking for an extra $637 million to the Murphy administration giving them $1 billion,” added O’Scanlon, who will replace Oroho as Republican Budget Officer in January. “Since New York keeps getting what it wants from New Jersey, they’re guaranteed to keep pushing for more.”