Bridge the Information Gap

The Beesleys Point Bridge is an issue in this year’s legislative race. Here is what we have been saying.
Jeff Van Drew convinced the County of Cape May to take the bridge from the private owners with the promise of approximately $20 million in state funding to repair it. News reports said Van Drew “brokered” the deal. Now we know that the cost is more like $32 million for a temporary repair. So, the concept of repair was abandoned after we Cape May County taxpayers became the owners. We now have an estimated $9 million demolition bill.
What has Jeff Van Drew been saying? Don’t worry….the state will pay for it…everything will be fine. Well, (A) we are all state taxpayers too, so we are getting hit even if the state did pay for it, but, (B) if you watch the video linked to the article on the Herald website, you will hear Jeff Van Drew himself say:
1. He made a mistake with this bridge deal.
2. There is NO deal between the state and the County to completely demolish the bridge.
3. The demolition is a HOPE that might happen in the next five years, but there is NO money in place for the job.
And, oh by the way, while the former private owners were required to reimburse the state for a $900,000 loan (we don’t now if they ever did) they sure made out pretty sweetly with this Van Drew taxpayer-funded bailout by avoiding a $9 million demolition bill.
Van Drew’s deception on this front can’t go unanswered. But like we said, don’t take it from us, click the vid and hear it right from Jeff Van Drew.
Ordered and paid for by Cape May County Regular Republican Organization, 6201 New Jersey Ave.,Wildwood Crest, N.J. 08260