Gov. Christie To Discuss Transportation Funding Plan

TRENTON, N.J. (CBSnewYork/AP) -- A transportation conference in Trenton will give New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie a forum to discuss his strategy for funding road, rail and bridge projects.

Wednesday's meeting was sponsored by the nonprofit Alliance for Action, a coalition of business, labor and government leaders.

Christie proposed an $8 billion plan in January to fund state transportation needs for five years. It calls for new borrowing and redirects money that had been earmarked for a commuter rail tunnel to Manhattan.

Democrats in the Legislature are trying to repeal a 2012 toll increase that would send $1.25 billion to the Transportation Trust Fund.

They said the money should be returned to taxpayers if the tunnel isn't being built. Christie says he should be able to apply the funds where they're needed.

(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)