TRENTON — The state’s Democratic senators are urging Gov. Chris Christie and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to let bygones be bygones and drop their feud over the $271 million they’ve been fighting over since May. Sens. Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez, both Democrats, said today in a letter to Christie and LaHood that they should work out a...
Workers convene at a construction site for the since-canceled ARC Tunnel last year.TRENTON — The state’s Democratic senators are urging Gov. Chris Christie and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to let bygones be bygones and drop their feud over the $271 million they’ve been fighting over since May.
Sens. Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez, both Democrats, said today in a letter to Christie and LaHood that they should work out a deal that softens the blow for New Jersey taxpayers.
The governor canceled a new rail tunnel to New York, and vowed to go to court to keep the $271 million in federal funds intended for the project.
LaHood and Christie, both Republicans, have each said they want the full $271 million. In the meantime, the state has been racking up legal fees and interest to the tune of $1.5 million so far.
“Despite our opposition to the cancellation of the project, we believe it is important not to punish the taxpayers of New Jersey and burden them with additional, unnecessary costs,” the senators wrote. “Annually, the cost of interest and penalties could cost New Jersey taxpayers up to an additional $18 million.”
LaHood has threatened to collect the money by withholding future funds for New Jersey, but so far he has held off, waiting for Christie to file an appeal in federal court as promised in early May.
Christie’s office declined to comment last night.
Before the feud spilled into the courts, LaHood offered to let New Jersey keep $128 million if it repaid the remainder of the money. Christie rejected that deal and is fighting to keep the whole $271 million, which could go toward alternate tunnel projects.
Related coverage:
• Federal government demands N.J. re-pay $271M for commuter tunnel Gov. Christie canceled
• N.J. legal tab to fight $271M federal bill for scrapped ARC tunnel reaches $800K
• N.J. is billed $330K by law firm fighting tab for canceled ARC tunnel
• N.J. senators, Amtrak official to announce new commuter train tunnel project across the Hudson
• Gov. Christie is appealing $271M bill from U.S. government for ARC tunnel
• N.J. faces deadline to pay federal government for canceled ARC tunnel
• N.J. is given final deadline to appeal or repay $271M ARC tunnel bill
• N.Y. Sen. Charles Schumer slams Gov. Christie for redirecting ARC tunnel funds to N.J. roads
• N.J. Democrats push to end toll hikes intended to fund canceled ARC tunnel