Essex County Could Get Piece Of $460B Fed Spending Package: See Where

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — A fresh wave of federal cash may soon be headed Essex County’s way, lawmakers say.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 on Wednesday by a vote of 339-85. The $460 billion package of federal spending bills saw bipartisan support in the House. It now heads to the U.S. Senate, which needs to rush a vote before a potential partial government shutdown, which would kick in Friday at midnight.

From there, the package would go to the desk of President Joe Biden, who is expected to sign it into law.

Three Democratic House members who represent towns in Essex County – Reps. Rob Menendez Jr. (NJ-8), Donald Payne Jr. (NJ-10) and Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) – issued statements about what the spending bills would mean for their home districts.

Meanwhile, some of their Republican peers in other states also called Wednesday’s vote a win, saying that the bills would “change the trajectory of federal spending and put an end to budgetary waste – without compromising on our commitment to veterans or shortchanging investments in national security.”

8TH DISTRICT

Menendez said that the spending bills would boost municipalities throughout the 8th District, which includes part of Newark.

“I am honored to have been able to secure almost $20 million in Community Project Funding for projects across our cities and towns ranging from replacing lead pipes to improving pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure to supporting workforce development programs that will benefit many of our constituents,” Menendez said.

Those projects include $5 million for the Newark-Jersey City Turnpike Reconstruction Project, which will be used for “road reconstruction to improve road conditions, pedestrian accessibility, safety and flood mitigation,” the congressman said.

10TH DISTRICT

Payne said the spending package would also bear fruit for the state’s 10th District, which includes the following cities and towns in Essex County: Caldwell, East Orange, Essex Fells, Irvington, Montclair (part), Newark (part), Orange, Verona and West Orange.

“This legislation is great for America because it funds critical needs across the country,” Payne said.

In Essex County, it would include:

• $4,031,000 for the Newark Safe Gateway Pedestrianization and Traffic Calming Project
• $963,000 for Neuroimaging Scanner Equipment Upgrade (West Orange)
• $959,752 for the Township of West Orange’s Pump Stations Project
• $950,000 for the Building Acquisition for People Helping People Since 1967 (East Orange)
• $750,000 for the South Ward Promise Neighborhood Community Grocery Store (Newark)
• $566,000 for Ground-based Simulator for In-space Refueling Cryogenic Propellants (Newark)
• $500,000 for the Development of Community Enterprise Center and Facility Upgrades (Newark)
• $500,000 for the Restorative Justice Transitional Housing (Newark)

11TH DISTRICT

Sherrill said that all 15 of the Community Project Funding requests she submitted to the House Appropriations Committee for fiscal year 2024 got the green light – totaling $15.8 million coming back to New Jersey’s 11th District.

The district includes several municipalities in Essex County: Belleville, Bloomfield, Cedar Grove, Fairfield, Glen Ridge, Livingston, Maplewood, Millburn, Montclair (part), North Caldwell, Nutley, Roseland, South Orange and West Caldwell.

“These projects bring federal resources back to New Jersey to address some of the most pressing concerns I hear about from local leaders and constituents,” Sherrill said.

“From bolstering public safety and mitigating flood risks to updating community spaces and preserving our open spaces, these bipartisan projects will have a great impact on towns in every corner of the district,” she added.

According to the congresswoman, some projects that would benefit in Essex County include:

• $959,752 for the Belleville Lead Line Replacement Project to support the completion of a lead service line replacement project occurring within the township.
• $963,000 for Crime Prevention and Citizen Assistance through the Essex County ALPR Program to assist 17 municipal police departments in western Essex County in the implementation of ALPR cameras to help combat auto thefts.
• $500,000 for the Nutley Public School District for a comprehensive replacement and upgrade of smoke detectors and fire alarms in neighborhood schools.
• $963,000 for Scientific Research Equipment for Seton Hall University to investigate interactions with plasmas and emerging semiconductor materials, which are necessary for next-generation microelectronics and nanoelectronics devices.
• $959,752 for the Township of Maplewood to support new stormwater subsystems that will be able to convey larger volumes of runoff to address flood risks while providing additional water quality treatment.
• $850,000 for West Essex YMCA Facility Construction to support their new full-service community center in Livingston, serving diverse populations across Essex County and leading initiatives focused on mental, physical, and social wellness in one space.

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