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Menendez, Gordon trash Trump infrastructure plan

By David Wildstein, February 16 2018 6:33 pm

Low key, hardworking and smart, State Sen. Bob Gordon (D-Fair Lawn) has most of his career as a policy wonk – and the last decade developing significant expertise on transportation and infrastructure issues.   Coming off of a landslide fourteen-point win in a legislative district that was drawn to be competitive, Gordon assumed the chairmanship of the Senate Transportation Committee last month – a post that gives him extraordinary oversight and advocacy clout on key issues like New Jersey Transit, the Port Authority, and the repair of the state’s massive network of roads and bridges.

Today, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, the ranking member of the Senate Mass Transit subcommittee, came to Gordon’s hometown of Fair Lawn to voice their views on how the Trump administration’s infrastructure plan would affect New Jersey towns and commuters.   This issue sits completely within Gordon’s wheelhouse.

The Trump approach to infrastructure investment is all wrong for New Jersey,” said Gordon.  “We shouldn’t rank projects based upon their ability to attract investors.  We should rank them based on public need.  It would be a shame if we rebuild New Jersey Transit only to see the system collapse because we fail to complete the Gateway tunnels in time.”

Menendez says that the Trump plan “is a hit job on New Jersey families and commuters.”

“Instead of making a real investment in our aging infrastructure, the Trump plan actually cuts net federal infrastructure spending by $40 billion and shifts the burden on states and commuters by hiking taxes, tolls and fares.  That means commuters paying more for less.  That means ignoring critical repairs and upgrades to our roads, rails and bridges.  That means making travel less safe and less reliable.  That means threatening to derail the Gateway Project and ignoring calls to strengthen rail safety by fast-tracking lifesaving technology, like Positive Train Control, to prevent future tragedies like the one in Hoboken.” Menendez said.  “This plan is bad for New Jersey, bad for our country, and I will do everything I can to fight it.”

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