As the White House celebrates the passage of tax reform legislation, they have begun to set their sights on their next legislative goal: Infrastructure rebuilding.
In the next few weeks, the administration will pitch a plan for Washington to direct $200 billion of its own fundings with $800 billion from cities, states, and public-private partnerships to invest in the country's struggling bridges, interstates, and airports. This $1 trillion spending plan has been touted as an easy bipartisan win by White House officials — and even the president himself.
“At some point, and for the good of the country, I predict we will start working with the Democrats in a Bipartisan fashion,” President Donald Trump wrote in a tweet last Friday. “Infrastructure would be a perfect place to start.”
DJ Gribbin, an infrastructure policy adviser to Trump, described the upcoming plan as an “incentive program" for states to partner with private companies in order to see their desired public works projects through the finish line.
“Part of what we want to do ... is say, ‘Listen, if you as a state or local elected official are willing to create a new revenue stream for infrastructure, we as the federal government want to partner with you in doing that,'" said Gribbin at an event in early December.
Infrastructure experts remain confident that a rethinking of how states and localities fund infrastructure projects could spur innovation and promote efficiency, though it could put a serious strain on states that are strapped for cash.
Read the full story on IJR.com