Christie, congressional delegation huddle on funding for Sandy repairs

While there’s still no estimate of the damage Hurricane Sandy caused in New Jersey, members of the state’s congressional delegation say they’ll work together to get federal funds for the state to rebuild.

After a 90-minute meeting at the Statehouse with Gov. Chris Christie, New Jersey’s federal representatives said they agreed on the priorities to help the state recover from the storm.

U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone says they talked about how they’ll get funding to restore dunes and seawalls.

“The governor reiterated that he’s trying with all our support to reduce the match so that the federal government will pay over 90 percent of the cost because a lot of the towns can’t afford the local match,” Pallone said.

Pallone says he wants to make sure trailers are available for temporary housing in towns hard hit by the storm.

He says the Jersey delegation wants federal and state funds to be provided to help people rebuild their homes. He also hopes there will be money for buyouts for those who don’t want to rebuild in flood-prone areas.