Brendan Gill

What public transit options are available to you from your New Jersey residence, and do you regularly use any of these services?

From my community, I have access to the Montclair–Boonton Line, which is a critical rail connection for commuting and traveling throughout the region. There are also NJ Transit bus routes and PATH connections that provide access to New York City. These services are essential for daily mobility in North Jersey and underscore how dependent our region is on functioning public transit. I own a small business in Montclair and I do not have to rely on public transit.

What is your impression of how well public transit serves NJ-11?

NJ-11 has a strong foundation of transit options, but that foundation has not been adequately modernized. Aging train infrastructure, limited redundancy, and insufficient bus frequency continue to frustrate commuters and constrain economic growth. With the right investment, NJ-11 could be a model for reliable service, but we must first address long-standing gaps in reliability and capacity.

What role do you believe the federal government could and should play to fund transit needs in NJ-11?

Federal investments should prioritize state-of-good-repair projects, major rail capacity expansions, fleet modernization, and resiliency upgrades. This is not just a local issue. When transit fails here, the economic consequences ripple across the entire Northeast Corridor. Many voters in NJ-11 rely on public transit to get to their jobs in one of the two Metropolitan hubs that run through New Jersey, and we need to ensure that it is reliable.,

How would you partner with other organizations, elected officials, and stakeholders to drive regional improvements and inter-agency cooperation?

Transit challenges do not stop at municipal or state borders, so solutions cannot either. I would work closely with local governments, NJ Transit, Amtrak, neighboring states, labor organizations, and federal agencies to coordinate funding, planning, and project delivery. Regional cooperation is essential to breaking down silos and ensuring that investments deliver real improvements for riders.

Train riders in NJ-11 rely on Amtrak-owned infrastructure. What Amtrak funding would you prioritize to improve the experience for New Jersey train riders?

I would prioritize funding to modernize Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor infrastructure, including aging tunnels, bridges, power systems, and signal equipment. Improving reliability and resiliency on Amtrak-owned assets directly benefits NJ Transit riders, reduces cascading delays, and strengthens the entire regional rail network.

New York City’s congestion pricing program has achieved an 11% reduction in auto traffic into New York City, but is still under attack by the Trump administration. a) Do you oppose the Administration’s attempts to punish NYC for imposing the congestion pricing fee? b) Do you support requiring NYC to share some of the funds raised by the program with NJ to help improve bus and train service between NY and NJ, so that more NJ commuters can avoid the congestion pricing fees?

a) Yes. The federal government should not retaliate against states or cities for pursuing locally driven transportation solutions that reduce congestion and pollution.

b) I support regional discussions to ensure that congestion pricing revenues are invested in ways that benefit the entire commuting ecosystem, including improved bus and rail service between New Jersey and New York City. Cross-Hudson commuters should see tangible benefits from policies that directly affect them.

President Trump has vowed to cancel federal funding for the Gateway Rail Tunnel project, which is needed to preserve commuter rail traffic between NJ and NYC. What is your view of the project? What approaches should be considered to ensure the continuation of the project?

The Gateway Tunnel is one of the most important infrastructure projects in the country. Without it, commuter rail traffic between New Jersey and New York City and the broader Northeast economy is at serious risk. Protecting Gateway requires a strong federal commitment, legal safeguards for previously approved funding, and continued advocacy from regional leaders to ensure the project moves forward regardless of political changes.

New Jersey is seeking federal funding to extend the Bergen/Hudson Light Rail system to Englewood and the south Jersey River Line Light Rail System to Glassboro. What factors should be considered for funding projects like this? How would you approach advancing transit expansions like this and others within NJ-11?

Funding decisions should consider ridership demand, equity impacts, congestion reduction, economic development potential, and environmental benefits. I would work to advance these projects by securing federal grants, streamlining approvals, and ensuring that New Jersey presents a unified, well-coordinated case for investment.

New Jersey Transit’s bus electrification goals require substantial federal funding to upgrade the electrical infrastructure in the agency’s bus garages needed to charge new electric transit buses. How do you view federal funding investments in such projects?

Federal investment in bus electrification is essential. Upgrading garage infrastructure to support electric buses reduces emissions, improves public health, and lowers long-term operating costs. These are exactly the kinds of forward-looking investments the federal government should support.

The Trump Administration is seeking to end California’s ability under the Federal Clean Air Act to set stricter automobile pollution standards than the federal standards. New Jersey along with many other states has traditionally adopted California’s stricter standards, helping keep our air cleaner and encouraging the sales of electric passenger and commercial vehicles under such programs as Advanced Clean Cars and Advanced Clean Trucks, which were implemented under the Murphy administration. What is your view on maintaining California and other states' ability to set stricter air quality standards?

I strongly support preserving states’ authority under the Clean Air Act to adopt stronger air quality standards. Programs like Advanced Clean Cars and Advanced Clean Trucks have helped New Jersey improve air quality, protect public health, and accelerate the transition to cleaner vehicles. Rolling back these authorities would be a step backward.

Last year, the Republican budget ended federal EV tax incentives. In response, US automakers scaled back their investments in new EV and electric battery production. This puts our domestic auto industry at a competitive disadvantage to the Chinese, whose EV models are increasingly gaining a larger share of the world wide auto marketplace. What policy approaches should Congress consider to maintain US global competitiveness in the auto industry?

Congress should restore and strengthen EV tax incentives, invest in domestic battery manufacturing, and support supply-chain development. Ceding leadership in EV technology to China threatens both our economy and national security. A stable, long-term federal commitment is necessary to keep American automakers competitive.

Similarly, the EPA has delayed funding for the fourth and fifth year of the Clean School Bus Program grants and rebates, which were authorized by Congress in the previous administration ($1 billion/year). What is your perspective on the federal government's role in funding electric school buses?

The federal government should fully fund programs like the Clean School Bus Program as authorized by Congress. Electric school buses reduce emissions, lower operating costs for school districts, and protect children’s health. Delaying or withholding this funding undermines both public health and congressional intent.