FTA bills NJ $271 million for cancelled rail tunnel

[dkf]

AP
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie speaking on Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010, in Trenton, N.J., as he announces that he's standing by his decision to kill the nation's biggest public works project, a train tunnel connecting New Jersey to New York City.

The Federal Transit Administration on Monday sent a $271 million bill to NJ Transit for the money it spent on a Hudson River commuter rail tunnel project killed by Governor Christie last month.

“NJT must immediately repay all the Federal financial assistance expended for ARC under the (work agreement) which is currently estimated to be $271.091 million, plus reasonable interest and penalty charges that will be determined by FTA,” a regional administrator wrote in the letter Monday to James Weinstein, executive director of NJ Transit.

The letter also notified NJ Transit — the sponsor of the “Access to the Region’s Core” project — that it is launching “a complete audit of the project” to determine the final amount of funds the federal agency obligated to the project that have not yet been spent.

“FTA expects immediate reimbursement of the amounts listed above even while the audit is ongoing,” FTA Regional Administrator Brigid Hynes-Cherin said in the letter.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/transportation/110710_FTA_sends_NJ_bill_for_271_million_over_cancelled_tunnel_.html

[MrScorpio]

1. Christie Stepped In That One Big Time

If he refuses to pay, the FTA is going to take NJ to court and it won't be pretty.

I wonder if the voters of Jersey are having buyer's remorse yet.

[LynneSin]

2. What a dumbass Christie is. First he blows that education money and now

he adds to the debt by cancelling a very much needed tunnel project.

This guy will be one term and done. New Jerseyians will make a mistake once in awhile with their votes but they are quick learners!

[SidDithers]

3. K&R...nt

Sid

[didigger]

4. Don't forget Ohio

Will Kasich get a bill too?

[Hawkeye-X]

6. Yes, he should. For half a billion

Idiots.

All of 'em. And the taxpayers will suffer too.

Hawkeye-X

[HughMoran]

5. Couldn't happen to a nice guy

:rofl:

[postulater]

7. Gov Doyle in Wisconsin just stopped the high speed rail project

because the incoming Walker plans to cancel it.

It'll cost Wisconsin about $100 million plus the loss of the train manufacturing jobs that were planned for Milwaukee.

[dkf]

9. I don't know how these idiots think we can get out of this situation

When they keep cancelling all the job creators.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

8. Good for the FTA. I work with people there and they are competent civil servants! n/t

[truedelphi]

10. DeFazio Democratic Representative of Oregon

Tried to address the inadequacies of the government and its "Stimulus" packages for the states.

The government was offering money to start projects that could not possibly be finished inside the eighteen month window of funding.

In Oregon, the wise legislators there had anticipated such activity a while ago. So there was strict regulation in place, preventing anyone in Oregon from accepting money for a project where the money would not be aavailable for the life of a project (IIRC). The money had to be on going for at least three years. yet the Feds were offering it for only eighteen months.

DeFazio was watching his state have to pass up million of dollars, since none of the money came with a provision that it would be on going till the projects were finished.