On Friday the administration of President trump refused to Finance from the state budget the construction of the Amtrak tunnel that would connect new Jersey and Penn station in new York, the busiest transportation hub in the United States.
Billions of dollars in project financing is calculated to be divided into two parts: the first half was to make new York and new Jersey, and the second was planned to take from the state budget. More about this in 2015, was agreed by the previous administration of President Barack Obama, governors Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie, and senators Charles Schumer and Cory Booker.
On Friday at the request of States on the allocation of loans for construction was in writing declared that the transaction is void. In the opinion of the Deputy Federal transportation Agency Jane Williams, both States makes no sense to refer to a nonexistent «agreement». «They need to engage in the financing of this project from their own budgets, as nine out of ten passengers on this route are local residents».
This letter puts an end to the construction of a tunnel under the river Husdon, repair old double tunnel, as well as the reconstruction of the Portal Bridgе in new Jersey.
Friday’s answer stunned many, as earlier requests for allocation of funds for the construction of major local facilities have never received a refusal from Washington.
Says Сrainsnewyork, this situation has a political undertone. One of the initiators of the project 50/50 is Charles Schumer, an influential Democrat in the Senate. Trump has repeatedly said that at the beginning of the year will announce a new infrastructure plan. Without Democrats, this project will not be able to gain the majority of votes and will not be implemented. Elaine Chao, the Minister of transport, is the wife of Republican leader Mitch McConnell. This implies that failure is a way of political pressure on the Democrats to advance the plan of trump.
In the best case, the States can begin at their own expense to build separate parts of the tunnel, to reconstruct the Portal Bridgе and gradually increase pressure on the Congress to receive funding from the state budget.
Tom Wright, President, Regional planning Association, said that «at the moment there is no more important infrastructure project than building a tunnel, connecting new York and new Jersey. The refusal of the Federal authorities is posturing. We are confident that the trump will cooperate with us. This project is not only local, but also Federal value. It will provide a hefty dose of gross domestic product of the country and send hundreds of billions of dollars to Washington every year»
