A win-win for President Trump

If President Donald Trump wants the economic comeback he talks about, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo put an opportunity right in front of him Wednesday.

Now, Trump has to make it a reality.

Cuomo’s trip to Washington, D.C., came as the national death toll passed 100,000, and as Long Island began its first phase of reopening in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Our reemergence is intertwined with the fate of the region. At the White House, Cuomo made the right pitch: the federal government should help jump-start the economic resurgence of New York — and, in turn, the nation.

That starts with Congress. Our local delegation must not come home without necessary state and local aid, and the repeal of the cap on state and local tax deductions, known as SALT.

But this is also a time for critical infrastructure projects to move forward, to create jobs, to revitalize a decimated economy, and to bring the region’s infrastructure into the 21st century.

That includes the central piece of the Gateway Project: the effort to build train tunnels under the Hudson River to replace 100-year-old ones damaged by superstorm Sandy. If one fails, economic activity along the East Coast will be derailed. Trump should commit to get it done. It’ll be a game-changer for the Northeast, and at a time when we need safe travel options, Amtrak will be an important choice.

Air travel’s comeback also will be critical to bringing business travelers and tourists back to New York and resuscitate a key economic driver. The remaking of the terminals at LaGuardia Airport is ongoing. But there’s more to do.

Take the LaGuardia AirTrain, which would connect the airport to subway and Long Island Rail Road stops at Willets Point in Queens. The AirTrain requires an environmental review by the Federal Aviation Administration. Cuomo asked Trump to accelerate that review. There’s no reason to say no.

To get the AirTrain done, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will need federal funding. Its revenue plummeted as COVID-19 took hold. It’s seeking $3 billion from Congress so it can push projects like the AirTrain. Congressional representatives from both states and both parties support the ask. It’ll be worth every dollar as the investment pays off in the years to come.

Cuomo said Wednesday that he didn’t make any specific Long Island requests, for fear of asking for too much. But the governor should support big projects that can get done on Long Island — including transit-oriented housing, health care and research facilities. The state and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority can be important partners in supporting development and other big ideas.

This is a moment to do big things. We can build tunnels, tracks and trains. But we must start now. Cuomo said he expects to talk to Trump next week, and has a shovel ready to go.

Trump, who knows New York’s needs better than any recent president, should meet Cuomo, perhaps with shovel in hand, and a simple answer: Yes. Let’s build it all. Together.

— The editorial board