State Senator Donald J. DeFronzo
May 1, 2008
Transportation Committee Leaders Call on Administration to Release Financial Plan For New Haven Rail Maintenance Facility
Three weeks ago, Department of Transportation (DOT) officials disclosed to key members of the Connecticut General Assembly's Transportation Committee that an additional, multi-million dollar bond authorization will be needed in order to correct a massive funding shortfall on the first phase of upgrades to the New Haven rail maintenance facility.
Today Senators Donald J. DeFronzo (D-New Britain), Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) and Andrew McDonald (D-Stamford) called on Governor M. Jodi Rell and her administration to provide the legislature with a requested financial plan for the project.
"In our April 8 meeting with Acting Commissioner Boice and Deputy Commissioner Martin, we requested a financial plan detailing how the agency and the administration intended to correct the funding shortfalls on this project," said Senator DeFronzo, chair of the Transportation Committee. "To date, we have not received that financial plan or any other correspondence from the department, the governor's office or the Office of Policy and Management regarding the New Haven rail maintenance facility. As we proceed into the final week of this legislative session, it is critical that the legislature is brought fully into the conversation."
"This is not some little problem. You can't just sweep it under the carpet and call it a day," said Senator Duff, vice chair of the Transportation Committee. "This is a massive, billion-dollar construction project that is absolutely critical to the operation of the new billion-dollar rail fleet. Where are the answers? Where is the financial plan from this administration? Where is the document that we very clearly requested that shows how the governor's budget office plans to make up for the shortfall on this project? How is the legislature supposed to take any action without a clear picture of what is going on with this project?"
"Resolving this problem should have been a 24/7 priority for both DOT and OPM. Three weeks later, we have heard nothing," Senator McDonald said. "In the meantime, the state's financial picture has worsened considerably, and we are rapidly approaching the end of our regular session. Now is the time for concrete action plans from both OPM and DOT so we can avoid any future delays to this critical project. We don't need apologies from the administration for letting this project slip through the cracks; we need their solutions."
Additionally on April 18, Senator DeFronzo formally requested information on all DOT capital projects-a request originally made at the April 15 joint hearing of the Transportation and Finance Committees. To date, that request has also gone unanswered.
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