Posted on 01/01/2018 2:23:50 AM PST by Oshkalaboomboom
The Trump administration has shut down a $13 billion federal spending plan to rebuild an Amtrak project between New York and New Jersey.
According to a letter obtained by Crain’s New York Business, the administration called the deal proposed by former President Barack Obama — which would have been half paid for by the federal government — “non-existent.”
“Your letter also references a non-existent '50/50' agreement between [the Department of Transportation], New York, and New Jersey. There is no such agreement," wrote Federal Transit Administration deputy administrator K. Jane Williams in a Friday letter. “We consider it unhelpful to reference a non-existent 'agreement' rather than directly address the responsibility for funding a local project where nine out of 10 passengers are local transit riders.”
The Obama administration had agreed with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to split the project’s costs 50-50.
The Department of Transportation, which encompasses the Federal Transit Administration, had agreed to the deal with Christie, Cuomo, now-Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and New Jersey Sen. Corey Booker in 2015.
The project would have built an Amtrak tunnel connecting New Jersey to Penn Station in New York City. The current single tunnel that sees roughly 600,000 commuters in a single day is known to be deteriorating.
Gateway, the development corporation formed to carry out the project, called the Trump administration’s letter “posturing.”
"There is no more urgent infrastructure project than Gateway, and posturing aside, we are confident that the Trump administration will engage with us as the president turns to infrastructure in 2018," the agency spokesman said in a statement.
President Trump and other administration officials have said infrastructure can and should be bipartisan, and he is expected to release a $1 billion plan in January.
Following an Amtrak derailment in Washington state that left at least three people dead and 100 more injured, Trump said a soon-to-be introduced infrastructure plan “must be approved quickly.”
"The train accident that just occurred in DuPont, WA shows more than ever why our soon to be submitted infrastructure plan must be approved quickly," Trump tweeted on Dec. 18. "Seven trillion dollars spent in the Middle East while our roads, bridges, tunnels, railways (and more) crumble! Not for long!"
Art of the Deal 101...with the added bonus of giving Adrew Cuomo agita!
If NY and NJ are going to spend the money like NYC is doing on their subway projects, they don’t need a penny of our tax dollars:
That was post on Free Republic earlier in the week. The 25% share that New York says it is will to pay for the AMTRAC boondoggle would cover the entire project cost, if done honestly.
The rink was closed in 1980 for a proposed two years of renovations at $9.1 million. Six years after the problem-plagued work was still not completed by the city, Donald Trump persuaded Mayor Ed Koch to let him complete the work in four months at $3 million in order to have it open by the end of the year. Koch initially objected but later agreed. Trump finished the job in the promised four months at a final cost 25% below the budget and for no profit.
I heard Amtrak sells $9 hamburgers that cost them twice as much to produce. I also heard employees steal millions every year. If privatized all of that would change. While the government can afford such nonsense a private company would not.
Saying no to Amtrak is a drop in the bucket but a drop here and a drop there (no, to Poki-stan) adds up.
Because bridges and tunnels and roads truly care what your politics are, and that multiple political stances are involved, when they are being maintained.
SMH
Good catch.
Here’s an idea that might fly (somewhat).
Privatize the sleeping-car operations. Supply financing for day coaches for folks who are making trips where rail makes a better alternative to cars or flying.
Not a conservative solution by any means, but I feel your railfan pain also.
I’d love it if Mr. Trump threw down that card in a tweet concerning the project, and why he’s shutting down the financing pending renegotiating.
People forget Mr. Trump has a better idea than most politicians about all the costs of construction. He’s been at it a while.
America hasn’t needed long distance trains since 1935. Cars and planes are far more efficient.
Maybe you’re speaking for yourself, bray. America DOES need long distance trains, not just in the Northeast but running on all the tracks they ran on 50-60 years ago - passenger trains. Many people don’t have trip-worthy cars; many old people can’t drive long distances any more (as I can’t) and can’t afford airfare, besides refusing to be assaulted in airports (as I do)
We need a way - by train - to visit family, as my grandmother could visit hers back then. I traveled by train a lot when I was very young. Now I have 3 generations of descendants in other states, and can’t travel at all. Cars or planes. Whoopee.
Yes, I’m speaking for myself, too. It’s allowed.
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