AIRPORT VOICE, MAY 2020 7
Port seeks $3 billion from Feds
Supported by business and civic leaders
The Port Authority, civic and
business leaders urged Congress
to allocate $3 bilion indirect Federal
funds to the Port Authority to
offset revenue losses, preserve critical
capital spending and drive economic
recovery.
Port Authority projects $3 billion
decline in revenue over next
24 months due to air traffic down
97%, PATH, bridge and tunnel traffic
down,
Unable to obtain these funds,
$20 Billion in private and public
spending is threatened if major
job-creating projects fail to launch.
Right now project spending in the
Capital Plan is poised to begin,
but without relief, thousands of
workers will not be hired further
threatening economic recovery in
our region.
On May 13, the Port Authority
of New York and New Jersey along
with civic and business leaders
from across the region requested
$3 billion in direct federal assistance
to offset the agency’s estimated
revenue losses over the next
24 months as a result of the corona
virus crisis. As Congress drafts
legislation to provide aid to state
and local governments, the Port
Authority and prominent stakeholders
wrote to Congressional
leaders, noting that funds must
be made available to ensure that
the Port Authority can advance its
capital plan which would create
more than 100,000 good local jobs
while driving over $20 billion in
both private and public spending
in the next five years - beginning
this summer - fueling the region’s
economic recovery.
Without direct federal financial
assistance, the Port Authority will
Rick Cotton, Port Authority
be forced to urgently reconsider its
capital plan, including drastic cuts
to a variety of critical infrastructure
projects across the region
from major airport redevelopment
to bus terminal replacement and
improvements at PATH stations.
For a region that represents 15 percent
of the national GDP, cutting
projects and eliminating tens of
thousands of jobs will have a profound
impact on the national recovery.
“Our region cannot afford,
now, to walk away from these
jobs or these billions of dollars of
construction spending our capital
plan would inject into the region
and the country,” said Kevin
O’Toole, Port Authority Chairman.
“We thank the New York and
New Jersey Congressional delegations
for their strong support and
look forward to working with them
to obtain the financial assistance
needed to offset our deep revenue
losses, preserve our capital plan,
and create over 100,000 good, local
jobs.”
Welcome to America
Where is everyone?
The Customs Border Protection arrivals hall at Terminal 4 JFK is
like Jones Beach in the winter. Normally the arrivals area has between
10,000-25,000 people a day. During the month of April less than 300 people a
day passed through. The Covid virus has devastated international travel. Everyone
is hoping for some gradual improvement in the month of June. Hoping.
Easy enough to find a bag these days
No need for social distance today Entering Customs from the flight
Few arrivals, few people to greet
ABM, ABMCares gives out essential rubber Ducks to essential workers thanking them for
their service