Right now, literally as I write this, Congress is doling out billions in the lame duck spending spree and there are hundreds of "earmarks" - the nice new term for pork barrel spending. Seems odd that there's not even a whiff of money for the I-98 project.
Wasn't Sen. Gillibrand supposed to announce new funding a few months ago? Must be lack of any real opposition in the election made the announcement politically unnecessary.
And where's Sen. Schumer? The Number Two guy in the U.S. Senate is unable to snag a billion or two for the Rooftop Highway? Is it unable or unwilling?
Lastly, couldn't Rep. Owens at least put a few million in the I-98 pocket as Rep. John McHugh did from time to time?
If we've made such great progress over the past few years and "everyone" is steadfastly behind this effort, why is no money forthcoming?
Oh, I forgot. This portion of New York State really doesn't matter when it comes time to tally up votes in November. Isn't that the real reason Sen. Schumer and Gov. Patterson took our steel mill to the Buffalo area?
Hope I'm not being too negative here, but I try to be realistic. True support for the highway project is manifested in funding to make it a reality. Despite huge local investments of time and money, the project remains on the back burner in Washington, if it is still on the stove at all.
