By Ron Thaniel
February 2, 2009

"The city is the form and symbol of an integrated social relationship: it is the seat of the temple, the market, the hall of justice, the academy of learning." These were the words of Louis Mumford from The Culture of Cities (1938), quoted by U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman James L. Oberstar (MN) to mayors and others participating in the 77th Winter Meeting.

With the words of Mumford, Oberstar underscored his position that cities and their metro areas are key to economic recovery and should receive a fair share of infrastructure investment.

In his January 19 address, Oberstar praised the Conference's MainStreet Economic Recovery proposal and decried that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, introduced in the House January 15, should have included more money for roads, bridges and other capital projects. "It's not as much as I would have liked to do," Oberstar stated, adding that the plan's infrastructure components would total $63 billion.

"From the Works Progress Administration of the Great Depression, to the Accelerated Public Works Act of 1962 and Local Public Works Capital Development and Investment Act of 1976, investment in public infrastructure has created and sustained jobs in difficult economic times," Oberstar said, adding that it can do so today.

"Infrastructure investment creates family-wage construction jobs, and spin-off benefits that ripple throughout the economy. These construction jobs will not be outsourced to another country. The work will be done in the United States because roads, bridges, transit and rail systems, airports, waterways, and wastewater treatment facilities are here, in our towns and cities," he said.

"In December 2008, I proposed to House leadership that the economic recovery and jobs creation legislation include at least $85 billion for infrastructure investment, including $30 billion for highways and bridges; $12 billion for transit; $5 billion for rail; $5 billion for aviation; $14 billion for environmental infrastructure; $7 billion for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and $10 billion for federal buildings," Oberstar stressed.

In contrast, the House plan marked up by the House Appropriations Committee January 21 provides $63.5 billion for programs, including $30 billion for highways and bridges; $9 billion for transit; $1.1 billion for rail; $3 billion for aviation; $6.9 billion for environmental infrastructure; $4.5 billion for the Corps of Engineers; and $7.7 billion for federal buildings.

His proposals to distribute billions of dollars for infrastructure were reduced during negotiations over spending and tax measures.

"The reason for the reduction in overall funding… was the tax cut initiative had to be paid for in some way," said Oberstar.

Recognizing the Conference's position that if we are going to reverse the current economic situation and create jobs, the only way to do so is to invest in Main Street and metro economies. Oberstar said the economic recovery funds would follow formulas set in other spending programs to make sure cities receive funds directly.

In closing, Oberstar said, "The economic news keeps getting more dismal each week, growing worse each day. We must act now. It is time to invest in America, rebuild our economy, and put America back to work."