(Source: Newark Star-Ledger editorial, February 5, 2012)
NEWARK, N.J. — As a transportation bill, it’s already being called “the worst bill ever.” House Republicans in Washington have taken a critical bill, which funds federal transportation projects for five years, and slashed money for bike paths, Amtrak and clean air protection, while opening virtually all U.S. coastlines and Arctic preserves to oil drilling. They have threatened to re-open the Keystone XL pipeline debate.
And for New Jersey commuters, that’s not the worst part. The GOP also wants to eliminate the part of the federal gasoline tax that is dedicated to mass transit — a shift that could jeopardize $396 million a year for NJ Transit, more than a third of its annual budget. PATH would suffer similar cuts.
Full story: Newark Star-Ledger