(Newsday posted the following article by J. Jioni Palmer on its website on July 27.)
WASHINGTON — The House is expected to pass today a $1.75-billion financing deal for the construction of a link allowing Long Island Rail Road commuters to ride directly into lower Manhattan, several sources familiar with congressional negotiations said yesterday.
Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford) said House Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas (R-Calif.) approached him on the House floor to confirm that $1.75 billion for New York will be included in a tax package scheduled to be approved today. The $1.75 billion, shy of the $2 billion originally sought, will be parceled out over 15 years.
Thomas “came over and told me himself,” King said of his brief interaction with the powerful and often curmudgeonly chairman. “He said, ‘I just wanted you to know it’s done.'”
The project, which when completed would provide direct access to lower Manhattan from Kennedy Airport and Long Island, has been a top transportation priority of Gov. George Pataki.
Its proponents say the rail link will provide an economic stimulus in the short term because of the construction jobs it will create. Eventually it will make commuting from Long Island to lower Manhattan easier. Of the 87,460 Long Island commuters who travel to Penn Station daily, about 13 percent continue traveling downtown, according to rider surveys.
“The proposed rail link from lower Manhattan out to Long Island and JFK is a critical project for New York, and we’ve worked for three years to build support in Congress and the White House for it,” said Pataki spokeswoman Joanna Rose, who credited King and Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-Rochester) with bringing the project to this point.
The measure is expected to be considered by the Senate after Congress returns from its August recess.