OMBUDSMAN ALERT: TRUMP TO THE RESCUE!

Amends Budget to include $12 BILLION for the Gateway Project!

BY DR. LOUIS ALPERT
Ombudsman

Several months ago our newspaper, through this column, successfully lobbied our Republican County Executive, Ed Day, as well as our Democratic State Legislators, Ken Zebrowski and Ellen Jaffee, to write letters to President Donald Trump, urging him to supply the 50 percent federal backing needed for the $24 billion Gateway project(with New York and New Jersey splitting the remaining 50%).

Recent news from the Associated Press confirmed that while the president did not originally include this sum in his federal budget, his Transportation Secretary, Elaine Chao, is quoted in a statement from New Jersey Governor. Chris Christie, that the $12 Billion will now be added to the federal budget and will be earmarked for the Gateway Project!

While the Rockland County Times certainly cannot claim credit for our President’s “change of heart” on this vital issue,the many weeks of articles that the Rockland County Times devoted to explaining the critical nature of this project, which will bring many thousands of high-paying jobs into the New York-New Jersey Metropolitan Area as well as provide a much-needed “ONE-SEAT” train ride from Rockland County directly into Penn station,might have had some small influence on this favorable outcome!

This ombudsman firmly believes that this example of our newspaper working in a BI-PARTISAN way with our County, State and Federal Governments,as well as with our President, will better help our readers to understand how an INDEPENDENT PRESS may influence important decisions made by our government at all levels!

Please direct all comments and questions to editor@rocklandcountytimes.com.

  ed day, ellen jaffee, Ken Zebrowski, ombudsman