Missing out on the latest $1.5 billion in federal transportation funding isn't sitting well with Connecticut's Congressional delegation. A field trip to Washington and a meeting with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood was all about why the benjamins weren't allocated to any of the $600 million TIGER grant applications submitted by Connecticut's Department of Transportation. TIGER is DC lingo for a funding program, in the Recovery Act, called Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery.
In a wishy washy press statement, LaHood "promised the delegation that Department of Transportation officials will meet with ConnDOT and all of the Connecticut TIGER grant applicants to help them submit the most competitive applications possible." Apparently, our applications were not considered competitive.
The Connecticut delegation is clearly united in their frustration and has done a good job of explaining why Connecticut needs funding, said LaHood. My department will meet with each and every Connecticut applicant to ensure that they are fully prepared to compete later this year.
But guess what the Connecticut delegation of Senators are pitching? More dollars for the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield high speed rail line. OK, rail line improvements along the Hartford-New Haven corridor are definitely needed, but the issue is always about priorities. New Haven and Hartford counties don't generate nearly the same tax revenue that Fairfield County does. Addressing the gridlock in Fairfield might bring the state more revenue. So would making Metro-North a high speed line into New York City, or even something as basic as funding mass transportation from the train stations in Fairfield County to the job centers.
The state's delegation was made of up of Senators Chris Dodd and Joe Lieberman, Congressional Representatives Rosa DeLauro (CT-3), John Larson (CT-1), Joe Courtney (CT-2), Chris Murphy (CT-5), and Jim Himes (CT-4). In an official statement, Himes said, I was very direct with Secretary LaHood that, given Connecticut's contribution to the national economy and the transportation challenges we face, the TIGER grant awards were completely unacceptable to us. Good luck. Himes has his work cut out for him.
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