BUDGET/REBUILD OUR HIGHWAYS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “It’s basically the opposite of a major government infrastructure program.
Government spending on transportation and other public works is in decline as federal funding stagnates and state and local governments tighten their belts.
Such spending equaled 1.4 percent of the nation’s economic output in the second quarter of 2017, the lowest level on record, according to Census Bureau data.
In West Virginia, where President Trump on Thursday touted a vague $1 trillion infrastructure plan, public works spending has fallen for five straight years…
The deterioration of the nation’s infrastructure has raised widespread concerns about safety, quality of life and the impact on economic growth. Politicians in both parties have declared the issue a priority. So far, there is no sign of a solution.
In 34 states, spending on government construction projects was lower last year than in 2007, adjusting for inflation. The trend has continued this year. Public construction spending in June was 9.5 percent lower than during the same month last year.
Governments have cut back most sharply on new construction projects. Even so, the nation’s existing infrastructure continues to age and deteriorate.
The average road surface was 28 years old in 2015, up from 23 years old in 2000. Schools, power plants and airports also are getting older. Slower population growth means less demand for new construction — but also fewer tax dollars for repairs.”
-Binyamin Appelbaum, “Public Works Funding Falls as Infrastructure Deteriorates,” The New York Times online, Aug. 8, 2017