From affordable housing to new parks, the $1.7 trillion spending bill funding the federal government through Sept. 30 includes hundreds of local projects for New Jersey municipalities, requested by the state’s members of Congress.
They were known as earmarks until Congress initially banned them in 2011 because of some questionable expenditures. But they were
brought back last year as “
community project funding” in the House and “congressionally directed spending” in the Senate.
The single biggest allocation for New Jersey was $11 million to build a
long-sought overpass along County Road 539 in Ocean County, which bisects Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, the state’s second-largest employer.
The two lawmakers who share jurisdiction over the joint base, Reps. Andy Kim, D-3rd Dist., and Chris Smith, R-4th Dist., put in separate requests for funding and both were honored.
The overpass will separate through traffic from slower-moving military vehicles on one of the deadliest roads in the state... .
Even though they successfully obtained money for local projects, Smith and Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd Dist., voted against final legislation that contained that funding. Both senators and the 10 New Jersey House Democrats all voted yes.
List of the local projects in the spending bill, and the lawmakers who requested the funding:
CentraState Medical Center, Freehold, $615,000 for equipment allowing high-dose radiation be focused on a very small area to treat certain cancers and neurological conditions. Smith.
Eatontown, $2 million to reduce flooding in the historic district. Smith.
Middletown, $997,600 for new sidewalks and curb cuts along Kings Highway. Smith.
Monmouth Ocean Foundation for Children, Tinton Falls, $400,000 for an autism education, training, and support services program. Smith.
OCEAN COUNTY
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. $11 million for an overpass to carry through traffic on County Route 539 over Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. The current road that bisects the joint base would be used for military vehicles. Kim, Smith.
Lakewood, $2 million to build roads and sewers, install street lighting and landscaping, and provide drainage for support new housing and address traffic congestion. Booker, Menendez, Smith.
Lakewood Community Services Corp., Lakewood, $1 million for new equipment to expand a mental health center. Smith.
Ocean County, Toms River, $500,000 for a 911 call center and emergency management office. Smith.
Providence House, Whiting, $750,000 for building improvements. Smith.
The above article, published on Jan. 15, 2023 by NJ.com and updated Jan. 21, 2023, was edited for length to exclude 19 of the State's 21 counties, and include projects in Ocean and Monmouth in NJ-04 which Mr. Smith sponsored . The original article can be found in its entirely at:
https://www.nj.com/politics/2023/01/heres-the-full-list-of-nj-projects-in-the-giant-federal-spending-bill-see-whats-in-your-town.html
