Building America's Future

The Tri-State Transportation campaign has a post up on this new coalition that could not be more timely.

Arguing that rebuilding America’s roads, bridges and transit systems will do far more for the flailing economy than the $300-$1,200 family tax rebates included in the recently passed $168 billion stimulus package, 15 governors from a non-partisan coalition called on the federal government last month to dramatically boost infrastructure spending.

The Building America’s Future coalition, chaired by Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, was established to serve as a “repository of best practices on infrastructure funding issues” according to a press release issued at the National Governors Association (NGA) meeting on Feb. 24. New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine is also a member of the coalition. Speaking at the NGA meeting, Corzine told the audience, “We need a national program. We need federal help.”

This is exactly right. The tax rebate plan is an abject failure of vision and leadership. This country has a serious environmental and national security problem in our addiction to oil. We re also in the early stages of the worst economic crisis this nation has seen since the 1930s.

A major investment program in our transit and water/sewer infrastructure would help to cure many ills leftover from the failed policies of the latter half of the 20th century . . . and dig us out from the failed economic policies of the worst administration in American history.