Posted on 10/28/2010 3:14:14 AM PDT by Scanian
Proving once again that he's de termined to restore fiscal sanity to New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie has stuck to his guns and reaffirmed his initial decision to kill the Hudson River tunnel project.
Yes, that will hurt commuters, who've long sought relief from congested rail and road traffic.
But so would a sharp increase in New Jersey's gas tax and other levies that would probably rise sky-high to pay for this bloated project.
With little to show for it besides a support span, the state has already spent $600 million. And the projected final cost, initially budgeted at $8.7 billion, has soared by $2.3 billion and could reach as high as $14 billion.
And that's before heavy construction actually starts.
The Obama administration's proposed solution: Help New Jersey borrow more money to cover the overruns.
Typical.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
There are many less commuters between NYC and NJ than years ago; both sides of the river have lost a lot of jobs and working people. An increasing number of people in NJ live further west in the state, and never go to NYC (for any reason); a number of companies have for years been moving their offices to the NJ side of the river, keeping PO boxes only in NYC.
The tunnele will cost x amount of dollars. No train line wants to pay for it. Nor would any hedge fund, George Soros, Buffet, nor any one else in return for each ticket sold or vehicle use. No one in the whole world. This called a clue.
That $600 Million was squandered by John Corzine just so he could have his stupid Gold Shovel Groundbreaking Ceremony before the last election.
We should make Corzine pay the bill. He can afford it.
At this point the politicians pushing for it aren’t even pretending it is needed; they are openly calling for it to be built just for makework (and probably to funnel union dues into their coffers). The Democratic Party is subsidized by the US taxpayer in this manner.
Is there anyone in their right might who thinks it would actually cost that much if all the unions, graft, and politicians were removed from the process?
Not to mention after getting raped by the hooked-upped contractors and the quality conscious union “workers”, there are the for ever repair and maintence bills starting from day one.
Good points; they haven’t escaped the attention of our great governor.
This tunnel would take at least 9 years to complete. With more and more people telecommuting, I don’t think that commuter rail ridership into NYC is going to increase much by then. I actually think it may start to decrease.
It has been decreasing for years as jobs were lost; this thing would only be used to get people to Broadway shows.
The Swiss are completing a 35 mile tunnel at a cost of $10B.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotthard_Base_Tunnel. That’s about 30 times more efficient than the Hudson River boondoggle.
To get that clue you have to believe in free markets (& free people by default), but elites just believe in themselves and they have to be right, they’re elite.
- if they used NON-UNION workers and companies the cost wouldn’t have been so high -
NJ does not need a big dig debacle.
Disappointed that Christie would even have considered taking federal dollars.
There really is no longer any need for this tunnel. Since it’s inception the Lautenberg (blech) station has been built that resolves all the ARC issues.
Plus the compensation they ‘ deserve’ for guiding the dumb, unseeing masses.
The problem is that many jobs that left NY bypassed NJ (and many other states) on their way down to the southeast, and also to Asia. Given that Hudson County in NJ is across the river from Manhattan, I’m offended that you think the NY side is more corrupt!
The fixed costs of doing business (or living) in this whole region are just too high; every taxpaying family is expected to support one welfare “family unit” and one public servant. Corporations are expected to do the same for each person they employ.
PA is better positioned because Americans will still live there, and they are also eager to attract business.
“Smart People Should Be Paid More Committee assignments are being made tonight at Berger Hall Room 2008 at 7PM interested candidates just need to show up. (these positions are salaried and include travel, hotel & food on a per diem!)”
We could post the above on college campuses, state capitals, the Capitol Mall and in various financial districts as a kind of elite mouse trap invite, no?
The police do this all the time with felons on outstanding warrants. Furthermore, even the smartest elites don’t read Admiral Akbar’s Treatise on Traps!
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