Christie Kills Tunnel Plan: NJ's Worst Decision Ever?

Paul Krugman thinks New Jersey has blown it again
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 7, 2010 7:27 PM CDT
Christie Kills Tunnel Plan: NJ's Worst Decision Ever?
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie listens to a question Thursday about his decision to kill the tunnel project.   (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie today killed a two-decade-old plan for a commuter train tunnel between Manhattan and New Jersey. He predicted that the project, which the Star-Ledger says would have been the biggest public works project in US history, would have ballooned way beyond the projected $8.7 billion cost, making it "completely unthinkable." This, declares Paul Krugman, "is arguably the worst policy decision ever made by the government of New Jersey—and that’s saying a lot."

In his New York Times blog, Krugman says New Jersey needs this "desperately ASAP" and that Christie could have raised gasoline taxes to pay for it. "But no, taxes must never be raised, no matter what the tradeoffs," he scoffs. Plus, this is precisely the time to increase spending on infrastructure. In full disclosure mode, Krugman notes that he's a New Jersey resident who goes to Manhattan frequently "and therefore has a personal stake" in the matter. "You got a problem with that?" (More Chris Christie stories.)

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