by KYW's John Ostapkovich

New Jersey governor Jon Corzine on Wednesday asked the federal government to craft an immediate second stimulus package to keep a bad economy from becoming worse.

The governor's testimony to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee was along the same lines as his sobering address to the state legislature two weeks ago (see related story).  He says the New Jersey economy and outlook are deeply troubled, and there's no way that Trenton can manage on its own:

"Without some kind of help from the federal government, you are going to see the state and local governments become a very negative force."

...unable to afford infrastructure projects like transportation and schools, that put people to work immediately and benefit people in the long run.

The governor (in file photo above) put in a good word for an enormous undertaking, the proposed second transit tunnel under the Hudson River. But he also says helping the unemployed, the poor, and those in vulnerable housing situations has to be in the mix as well.

Corzine suggests that stimulus package number two be in the $250 billion to $300 billion range, and crafted on a post-election, not post-inauguration timetable.