ANALYSIS: STATE OF THE STATE/CITY SPEECHES

Majority of states and major U.S. cities highlighted infrastructure in annual speeches

STATE OF STATE:

ALASKA – Gov. Sarah Palin (R)

EXCERPT:  Thankfully, in the state, these past couple of years we’ve allocated billions for roads, ports, schools, and other vital public works. That money hits the streets and grows the economy this year – so the private sector creates, and we keep, many thousands of good Alaskan jobs through this.  We can stay on that path of investment in growth with continued support for essential construction projects that will – literally – build this state.

ARIZONA ‐ Gov. Janet Napolitano (D)

EXCERPT:  Last year, the Legislature also passed a plan to build and improve the physical infrastructure of our universities – a forward‐thinking plan that accommodates future enrollment growth while quickly creating desperately needed construction jobs. It is a good plan, we can afford it, and we should put it into action now…  As we commit to this critical knowledge infrastructure, we must also invest in our physical infrastructure. This is timely because it is likely that an infrastructure stimulus plan is on its way from the federal government. And it is important because we know this kind of investment creates jobs and creates wealth…  But infrastructure does not stop with transportation. With my budget, I am giving you a plan for desperately needed school buildings. These new buildings will be energy efficient, they will provide an economic stimulus and they will build a legacy that is able to serve this state for decades.  

COLORADO – Gov. Bill Ritter, Jr.(D)

EXCERPT: Transportation funding also will be a big part of the federal economic recovery package.  For every billion dollars of transportation construction, we protect or create at least 35,000 jobs. We've put together a list of 160 shovel‐ready highway, transit and aviation projects, worth about $1.4 billion. The federal piece of this is vital. It will create immediate jobs and help us build a modern transportation system for the future. But it's just a first step. Those are just one‐time dollars.  We have a much bigger problem. We're trying to run a 21st‐century transportation  system on a 20th‐century funding model that's no longer sustainable.  Even with federal recovery dollars, we don't have the resources to repair the 126 structurally deficient bridges in Colorado. We don't have the resources to maintain aging and congested highways. And we don't have the resources to give commuters the transit choices they demand and deserve.  This session, even in this tough economy, we need to find a new way forward. Eighteen months ago, I convened a bipartisan transportation panel to examine the problem and offer solutions. The panel has done its job; now it's time for us to do ours…  

For the short‐term, we'll need to put safety and maintenance first, by looking at fees and bonding to fix old bridges and old roadways. For the mid‐term, we'll need to be even more creative, looking at public‐private partnerships and other financing options. And for the long‐term, we'll need to craft a sustainable funding formula that's responsible, fair and affordable…

CONNECTICUT ‐ Gov. M. Jodi Rell (R)

EXCERPT:  Action will be taken this session, as it should be, on a host of different issues – health care, criminal justice, transportation, education and the environment, to name but a few.   The ideas, the proposals, the plans will be plentiful. The resources needed to bring many of them to life will not be. In recent good economic times, we made strategic and historic investments in our state. We took advantage of a strong economy to invest in education, in transportation, in healthy children and in the technologies that will lead us into the future…

GEORGIA ‐ Gov. Sonny Perdue (R)

EXCERPT:  A growing Georgia will depend upon a transportation network that supports mobility and commerce. Like most government programs, the money available is short of what our needs are, so we must guard every dollar that is spent to make sure we maximize its value. Reforming DOT has been one of the toughest challenges my administration has faced, and we are not through yet…   Transportation improvements providing access to markets, reliable and stress‐free commutes and speedy freight movements can be the catalyst that propels our economy forward, just as we have seen over our state’s history…  This year’s bond package, totaling over $1.2 billion in new investment, will put Georgians to work and build critical infrastructure. In the past, we have often funded the design phase of a project one year and construction at some later date. This year’s package will feature many projects in which both design and construction are funded in the same year, ensuring their timely completion.   

FLORIDA – Gov. Charlie Crist (R)

EXCERPT: Ten days ago I sent to you a budget recommendation that addresses the people’s priorities for our future. The $66 billion plan includes more than $10 billion for infrastructure improvements in transportation and economic development – including Central Florida’s commuter rail; a $21 billion investment in our students and teachers; more than $2 billion to protect and preserve Florida’s natural resources; nearly $5 billion to keep our people and our neighborhoods safe – the most critical function of government; and more than $25 billion to fund critical health care services for our citizens.  I am grateful for Florida’s share of the federal stimulus bill. These funds will serve as a bridge to better economic times. This money will help us avoid tax increases and prevent deep cuts that would further burden Florida’s families and businesses. The Federal Stimulus bill is not perfect; I’ve never seen a bill that is. But, this package will provide much needed tax relief, as well as immediate assistance in education, transportation, unemployment compensation, renewable energy and other aid and is expected to save or create as many as 206,000 jobs that the people of Florida desperately need.

HAWAII ‐ Gov. Linda Lingle (R)

EXCERPT:  Another requirement for a strong and innovative economy is an advanced communications infrastructure that will serve as the backbone for connecting us to the global economy.  This 21st century infrastructure is essential to creating the kind of high‐paying jobs we are striving for in the coming years.  The communications infrastructure we have in place today barely meets our current needs.  We need to be planning for tomorrow’s needs.  We shouldn’t be limited in our thinking to believe that what we have in place today is acceptable.  We need to dream about tomorrow, and begin now to lay the groundwork for getting there.  We need a communications infrastructure that will allow us to achieve competitive advancements in the areas of: education, health care diagnosis and treatment, public safety, research and innovation, civic participation, creative media, e‐government, and the foundation for overall economic development.   

IDAHO ‐ Gov. C. L. "Butch" Otter (R)

EXCERPT:  Project 60 involves almost every element of state policy – from education and workforce development to quality of life and recruiting foreign investment and trade. It is designed to strengthen both our rural and urban communities, to leverage our strengths here at home while taking advantage of the dollar’s weakness abroad.   But Project 60’s success – and in large measure Idaho’s success – depends on our willingness to address the infrastructure challenges we face – not only roads and bridges but energy transmission, water supply, information networks and educational resources…  If Idaho is going to compete effectively in the marketplace of goods and ideas, it is critical that we as a state provide the infrastructure for success. That means clean air and water. It means education, energy and information. And it means safe, efficient corridors of commerce.  It means transportation. No other issue has dominated public discourse or my own efforts more over the past year than how to address the enormous and growing backlog of maintenance and construction needs on our system of highways and bridges. 

INDIANA ‐ Gov. Mitch Daniels (R)

EXCERPT: Across America tonight, there are dozens of states that would gladly change places with Indiana. We are fiscally steady, they are crawling to Congress for bailouts. We are building the infrastructure of a prosperous future, they are pleading for money just to maintain the roads and bridges they have now. They are raising state taxes of all kinds, while we are holding the line. Their property taxes are exploding, while ours are coming down for good. Who here feels inferior to that? …

IOWA‐ Gov. Chet Culver (D)

EXCERPT: In an effort to stimulate economic growth during this recession, create good private sector jobs, and address unmet infrastructure needs, I propose the creation of the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Authority. But when I say infrastructure, I’m not just talking about bridges and roads. I mean all infrastructure: rail, trails, public buildings, water and sewer treatment facilities, the utility grid, and telecommunications, too…  In fact, for every $100 million spent on highway construction alone, more than 4,000 new jobs are created! Infrastructure investment is essential for not only job creation, but for keeping existing jobs in the state down the road. So, the authority will create and then issue up to $700 million of bonds, over the next several years…  Just as we locked arms and worked together during the flood fight, we must continue our efforts, as partners – to Rebuild Iowa, by investing in, and modernizing our infrastructure…

KANSAS ‐ Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D)

EXCERPT: Our focus tonight and over the next 90 legislative days should be on the people we serve: our priorities to educate our children, to provide for public safety and protect health services for our neediest citizens, to spur economic recovery and job growth, to build the infrastructure to move our goods and workers from product to market, and to encourage innovation and research as the core elements of a knowledge economy…  Seizing opportunities and creating jobs to stimulate our economy is important to our state’s recovery. And, transportation is a critical component of both.   

KENTUCKY ‐ Gov. Steven L. Beshear (D)

EXCERPT:  Here in state government we are confronted with a mid‐year shortfall of almost half a billion dollars – on top of cuts just last year of more than $430 million…  Short term, government lends help to those in dire need. It rescues, and it protects.  Long term, government oversees the basic societal infrastructure that enables Kentuckians to pursue a more secure and rewarding future for themselves and for their children.Infrastructure such as health care, education, public safety and roads.

MASSACHUSETTS – Gov. Deval Patrick (D)

EXCERPT:  Our transportation system ‐ and the means by which we pay for it ‐ is a cluster of tangled knots.  It's time to level with ourselves and with the public about what our obligations are and how best to meet them and to set us on a course to a more efficient and effective future.  Let's radically simplify our transportation system, and set it on a sustainable path, by enacting meaningful transportation reform.

MICHIGAN ‐ Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D)

Soon, I also will recommend long‐term reforms to achieve affordable but stable funding for maintenance and repairs to our roads, bridges and transit systems.  We will live within our means and reform government, so that we can relentlessly focus on what everyone in Michigan cares most about: jobs. 

MISSISSIPPI ‐ Gov. Haley Barbour (R)

EXCERPT: The federal highway and transportation law expires this year and will be reauthorized. After it is reauthorized, by which time we will have already seen the stimulus package, Mississippi needs reform in our highway and transportation program. Our method of financing is becoming obsolete, and we must incorporate economic development and job creation into our selection process…

NEVADA ‐ Gov. Jim Gibbons (R)

EXCERPT: In the upcoming session, I will also ask the Legislature to endorse other creative and innovative ways to build critical infrastructure without raising taxes, such as public‐private partnerships to add much‐needed traffic reduction programs throughout the State, and particularly in Southern Nevada where traffic problems are the most severe…  What we must do, and what I am focused on, is bridging the gap between our current capabilities and our renewable‐powered future while economically meeting our current power needs.   To move to this future, we need to overcome the challenges caused by long permitting processes, inadequate transmission infrastructure, and limited incentives. We need to overcome those challenges now, or in ten years, Nevada’s powerful energy future will still be just talk here, but reality in other states.

NEW HAMPSHIRE ‐ Gov. John Lynch (D)

EXCERPT:  New Hampshire has always been proud of our roads. We recognize quality roads and bridges are essential for public safety and for our economy…  To put more money into our roads and bridges, we passed a law last year reducing expenditures from the Highway Fund for other state agencies. With this budget, we met the requirements of that law and decreased the percentage of highway funds diverted from the Department of Transportation…   It is important that we provide relief for citizens who commute on our toll roads. That is why this plan includes a new E‐Z Pass frequent‐user discount that will ensure that no New Hampshire commuter pays more than $30 a month in tolls.  Finally, to balance the Highway fund, this plan includes an average $10 road improvement surcharge on vehicle registrations.  In addition, an estimated $130 million in federal transportation stimulus funds will help us accelerate important road projects in our ten‐year plan, and create jobs.

NEW JERSEY – Gov. Jon Corzine (D)

EXCERPT: Most importantly, we are creating jobs by accelerating public investments in roads, bridges, school construction, and the new mass transit tunnel under the Hudson.  In the next year alone, we’re committing, and this is before any federal infrastructure investment program, we’re committing $4.7 billion in high‐return investments … saving or creating as many as 42,000 New Jersey jobs.   We all know that infrastructure matters. We saw the high cost of failure in Minneapolis and New Orleans. These investments not only create jobs today ‐‐ they will provide returns for all New Jerseyans tomorrow… That’s why I fought to authorize $3.9 billion in new school construction funds and I’m proud of it ‐‐money that can be leveraged into $5.4 billion in investments across the state…

NEW YORK – Gov. David Paterson (D)

EXCERPT: To build a brighter future, we need a smarter, better infrastructure. By making careful and prioritized infrastructure investments, we will create 21st century jobs by building a 21st century infrastructure that will allow our private sector to make its own 21st century investments. Our infrastructure efforts should be targeted so that businesses can invest with confidence – this is where we can create the foundation for economic progress for decades to come. By investing in roads and bridges, in higher education institutions, in statewide broadband installation and the computerization of medical records, and in clean water and wastewater systems among other projects, we are providing the framework for future economic vitality. We should complete signature projects all across our State including the Peace Bridge, the Tappan Zee Bridge, the Second Avenue Subway, and the East Side Access. And we should implement the Ravitch Commission recommendations to improve an essential piece of our infrastructure, the MTA…

NORTH DAKOTA –  Gov. John Hoeven (R)

EXCERPT:  As we work to drive growth in our key industries, and set aside a strong reserve for the future, we must also make thoughtful investments in our infrastructure.  A growing, more diversified economy depends on a safe and efficient system of roads and bridges, as well as ample supplies of clean, reliable water…  Investing in our system of roads and waterworks provides a two‐fold benefit to the people of North Dakota: First, it helps to enhance and expand the state's vital public utility and transportation network, and second, it injects dollars into our economy at a critical time to stimulate economic activity. Our plan will not only help our water and transportation systems statewide, but it will also dedicate an additional $24 million to our western oil‐producing counties, which have had significant impacts due to energy development.   A sound infrastructure will provide us with a solid foundation for future growth….

OREGON ‐ Gov. Ted Kulongoski (D)

EXCERPT: There is no way to talk about climate change without also talking about transportation. We can all agree about that.  The disagreements start when the question becomes: Can we have both more transportation – and fewer emissions?  The answer is yes. Rebuilding our transportation infrastructure is a win in the fight against carbon – because we will not just repair roads and bridges, we will invest in the most green, sustainable, multi‐modal, energy‐efficient transportation system in the country.  Our roads, bridges, public transit, rail lines, airports and seaports are the circulatory system of Oregon’s economy. If our transportation arteries are blocked by congestion, inefficiency, decay and neglect – our economy is going to end up on life support.

PENNSYLVANIA – Gov. Ed Rendell (D)

EXCERPT:  Here in Pennsylvania, the key to recovery lies in putting our citizens back to work through continued infrastructure investments, including the ongoing efforts to repair our bridges, roads and mass transit systems, improve our water quality and delivery systems, and expand our rail freight capacity…  Moreover, this task represents a great opportunity to put our citizens to work. I am proud to report that, in the first year of this program, we exceeded the goal we set for bridge repairs for this fiscal year. Our proposed capital budget supports the continuation of the bridge repair program by allocating $200 million for the FY2009‐2010. I want to be clear that these funds are in addition to the federal stimulus funds, estimated at $1 billion over the next two years for bridge and road repair and other infrastructure projects in Pennsylvania. While that is certainly a lot of money, the reality is that Pennsylvania maintains 39,872 miles of road, as well as 25,300 state‐owned bridges. Together, federal stimulus funds, our traditional federal highway funds and the additional state funds I propose we invest will allow us to repair over 5,000 miles of roads and 450 bridges, while putting 84,000 Pennsylvanians to work. Given the absence of construction in the private sector, I am confident that we can put the State and Federal road and bridge funds to work, and put Pennsylvanians to work, in short order…  Just as we propose to stimulate the economy by investing in shovel‐ready public works projects that rebuild our infrastructure of roads, bridges, dams, streets, schools and seaports, so too must we invest in the all‐important intellectual infrastructure that is every bit as necessary to the future growth of our economy.

RHODE ISLAND – Gov. Donald Carcieri (R)

EXCERPT:  We have been investing heavily in our Infrastructure. By now, you’ve all probably driven over the new I‐Way bridge. The entire I‐Way project is scheduled for completion by the end of next year. Not only will traffic flow be greatly improved, but 30 acres of prime real estate in downtown Providence will become available for development.  Many other exciting infrastructure projects were either completed or initiated last year. We opened the new Rte. 403 connector between Rte. 4 and the Quonset Industrial Park. We’ve broken ground on the Intermodal project that will connect the airport with a new commuter rail station and car rental facility off Jefferson Boulevard. And, the New Sakonnet River Bridge contract has been awarded with construction beginning this spring.  All these projects support a stronger and more efficient infrastructure that will facilitate economic growth and help Rhode Islanders with their daily commutes to work, shop or just to enjoy our state.

TEXAS ‐ Gov. Rick Perry (R)

EXCERPT: As we turn our eyes toward that shared future, we must continue focusing on the things that government is supposed to do, provide for the additional transportation, electricity and water infrastructure and resources our state needs to grow and prosper…Let’s also make sure that, when they flip a light switch, the lights will come on and stay on. Let’s not leave a legacy of rolling blackouts because we didn’t keep pace with our power infrastructure.

UTAH ‐ Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. (R)

EXCERPT: We are facing difficult decisions that have real impacts on the lives of Utah families. We are sensitive to this and must be ever vigilant in our realignment of state programs and resources. Let us be mindful of the children we are impacting, the jobs we are eliminating and the critical road and building projects we are delaying. We are in this together, and together we will find creative solutions to critical problems. After working with legislative leaders on nearing a solution for the current budget, tonight I am directing the Utah Department of Transportation to reinstate major road projects that were delayed in November. 

VIRGINIA – Gov. Tim Kaine (D)

EXCERPT: Virginia’s transportation infrastructure faced significant challenges even before the downturn in the economy, and as family incomes have suffered, so have the gas tax and automobile sales tax revenues that support transportation in Virginia.  Our transportation agencies are reducing their administrative overhead to preserve scarce dollars for maintenance and construction…  In addition, my team and I are working closely with the incoming federal administration to help develop their economic stimulus package. I have spoken personally with President‐Elect Obama about the importance of investing in new infrastructure to put Americans to work.  

WASHINGTON ‐ Gov. Christine Gregoire (D)

EXCERPT:  Tomorrow, I will introduce the “Washington Jobs Now” plan. It is nowhere near as big as the Grand Coulee Dam project back in the 20th century, but it will leave a legacy of roads, schools and green‐collar jobs to thrust our state firmly into the 21st century!  And I urge you to help me do it — and in the first days of this new session…  We can quickly create thousands of new jobs this year and next by accelerating nearly $1 billion in public works projects.  These projects will build new roads and schools, and create green‐collar jobs to lay more groundwork for the prosperity to come…   My “Washington Jobs Now” plan will stretch over the next two years — even as we undertake the largest transportation construction cycle in state history!  We now have 1,400 transportation projects under way, or about to start, worth $3 billion.  By combining this historic transportation package with my “Washington Jobs Now” plan, we will provide nearly 20,000 jobs in the next two years.  Franklin Roosevelt did more than create jobs. And so must we…

STATE OF CITY:

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – Mayor Shirley Franklin (D)

We must look beyond the next term beyond the comfortable next step and open our minds to the great possibilities of the future.  We can't wait until 2030 to build our infrastructure, to offer access to a first‐ class education to every child and every adult, to market our city, to invest in economic and community development, to build parks or to invest in creative industries of the future… We cannot repeat the divisiveness that led to the truncated success of MARTA or the inadequate maintenance of our aging water infrastructure. We cannot afford to be limited by our fear of each other or the limits of our politics.  Working together creatively—we are more than the sum of our parts.  We can scale higher mountains and overcome larger obstacles.

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA – Mayor Kip Holden (D)

EXCERPT:  In 2009, we will put over $400 million dollars in sewer projects into design or construction toward a complete rehabilitation of our sanitary sewer program.  Our finance team has reviewed the model developed for this program and reports that the City‐Parish can fund this entire $1.2 billion dollar program with existing revenue streams and deliver it on‐time to satisfy the consent decree our parish is under.  Not only do projects like this solve existing problems and prepare us for future growth but they also fuel our local economy.  The trickle down effect of jobs and supplies that result from these infrastructure improvements are keeping our local economy strong…  I've just returned from Washington, D.C. where I met with key administration officials to keep Baton Rouge at the forefront of plans to fund infrastructure projects that are ready to start construction.  I know in my heart the problems that have been neglected for fifty years cannot be neglected any longer if we truly want to become America's next great city.  I know in my heart cities that do not invest in projects that create jobs will never be the place where this younger generation chooses to live and work.

DAYTON, OHIO – Mayor Rhine McLin (D)

EXCERPT:  Aided by this public input, we have closed a significant budget deficit without sacrificing our three top priorities: economic development, public safety and infrastructure. Our latest budget‐setting process was not easy, and tough decisions had to be made..  Major investments are underway for the city's infrastructure and transportation systems. The City is keeping true to its word to replace nine bridges in seven years. 

DETROIT, MICHIGAN – Mayor Ken Cockrel (D)

EXCERPT:  I expect many more jobs to be created in Detroit once the much‐debated economic stimulus package, is approved by Congress and signed by President Obama. My administration is working closely with the Governor, the Detroit legislative caucus and Michigan’s congressional delegation to secure Detroit’s fair share of federal funding for shovel‐ready projects that could improve our infrastructure while creating jobs.We have a list of eligible projects ready to go, and others are being fine‐tuned.

FORT WORTH, TEXAS ‐ Mayor Mike Moncrief (D)

We also continue to make headway on neighborhood streets. We found room in a tight budget to add an extra $1.5 million for street maintenance. And, we’ve committed to fund additional street improvements with the remaining un‐restricted gas well revenues. The latter is yet another example of how the Barnett Shale will improve our lives. We also adopted transportation impact fees aimed at building more roads in rapidly growing suburban areas. What’s more, voters approved our $150 million street bond program last spring. This was a big win.  But let me be very clear: Simply building more streets to accommodate more vehicles is not the answer to our mobility problems. North Texas will be home to more than nine million people by the year 2030. Even with all the money and support in the world, we could not build enough roads and highways fast enough to support such growth.  So how do we give commuters, like Benny, more options? I believe a seamless, clean, and efficient commuter rail system connected to other modes of public transportation will help us get moving again. With central city density increasing, frequent road congestion, and uncertain gas prices, residents are ready for a change. Like me, Benny and his fellow commuters see rail as a way to bring  them some relief…  Our dream of an efficient and seamless public transit system in North Texas is doable, folks! However, generating the needed funds will require action by our state legislators. If approved, the Texas Local Option Transportation Act would let local voters in each county decide if they want this commuter rail system and/or roads, and how they want to pay for it. This would be much like a local bond issue.  Only after receiving the blessing of the voters would fees be imposed for both new rail systems and new roads. I want to stress this bill is not just for commuter railroads, but rather rail and roads.

HOUSTON, TEXAS – Mayor Bill White (D)

EXCERPT:  In Washington they’ll plan for more federal investment in needed public works and public infrastructure, such as transit, roads, and bridges.  But let each of us remember that the most vital infrastructure are the bridges which we build between fellow citizens, and we must strengthen them in times of need.  Our bipartisan leadership in Washington will debate the scope and nature of new public works.  But equally important is our local commitment to how the public works together. 

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – Mayor Michael Bloomberg (I)

EXCERPT:  First, we’ll continue investing in new infrastructure. In past recessions, too often City governments stopped investing in infrastructure. We’re not making that mistake ‐ no way.  This fiscal year, we’re funding a record $10 billion‐plus in capital projects, creating more than 25,000 construction‐related jobs that pay good wages and strengthen the middle class. Projects like: Digging the Number 7 train extension to Hudson Yards; breaking ground on a new Police Academy in Queens and a new police precinct in Staten Island; building two new libraries on Staten Island, two more in Queens, and one here in Brooklyn; undertaking a major renovation of the Queens Museum of Art; returning McCarren Pool in Williamsburg to its former glory; and opening the first section of the world’s most innovative park, the High Line in Lower Manhattan.

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND ‐ David N. Cicilline (D)

EXCERPT: As our President and economists have been forcefully advocating, economic opportunity depends on a sound foundation of infrastructure. We can’t build a 21st century economy on a decaying, early 20th‐ century platform…  We will address one of the most basic necessities for a good economy and a good quality of life: our road system…  We already developed a detailed plan for road reconstruction, but have been held back because of scarce resources. Well, I am now certain that we have reached that point where the cost of not investing will be more crippling. We will invest a minimum of 10 million dollars to improve roads in Providence over the next eighteen months…  We will support port modernization efforts with significant new investment in our port infrastructure to create jobs there.

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – Kevin Johnson (D)

EXCERPT:  I just came back from Washington D.C. to meet with President Obama. He made it clear that every dollar from this stimulus package must go towards adding jobs. He wants the dollars to move to cities quickly and I will be working with the Metro Chamber, SACTO, SACOG and all of our regional leaders to make sure those dollars are flowing into “shovel ready” projects to put people to work. 

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – Mayor Jerry Sanders (R)

Transportation infrastructure continues to be our priority, and our case for those funds is excellent…But we cannot depend on Washington to solve our problems. I've always believed that the best way to fortify our economy, and to stabilize our revenues, is with programs that help our citizens obtain the caliber of jobs that contribute to our tax base… Working with a volunteer group of civic leaders – we call it an economic roundtable – I have identified areas that will be the focus of our job‐creation strategy in the years ahead. They include attracting new employers, streamlining our permits and planning, investing in infrastructure and convincing the designers of the federal stimulus package that we deserve our fair share. Each of these strategies is designed to do one thing – expand our job base to build a prosperity we all can enjoy.

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – Chuck Reed (D)

EXCERPT: As Yogi Berra is rumored to have said “It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.” But you can be certain that innovation will once again lead us out of tough times.  There are many things that San José must do to help that happen, like making sure our driving industries stay here and grow here. We have to be the best place in the world to start and grow a business, and we have to build the infrastructure to allow businesses to succeed…  We must support initiatives that develop and create jobs, encourage private sector investment, and build infrastructure so that we come out of this recession stronger than ever…

TOPEKA, KANSAS – Mayor Bill Bunten (R)

EXCERPT: The proposal to increase the city sales tax by one‐half of one percent is necessary, if we are to repair our deteriorating infrastructure. Topekans are well aware of the conditions of our streets, curbs, gutters, sidewalks and alleys, many of us have seen water pouring down gutters after water mains break, and red drinking water continues to be a concern in some parts of town.  The question before us is simply this, should we do something, or should we do nothing? If we do nothing, the city will continue to deteriorate physically, and when someone finally addresses the problem the cost will be much higher.  If we are to do something, it costs money. We have only 2 sources of funds adequate to repair our infrastructure, the property tax and the sales tax. 40% of our sales tax revenues are paid by persons who do not own property in our city, but enjoy its amenities.  So a sales tax is the best option to fund the repair of our streets,etc., and it will hopefully be put to a public vote, if approved by a 2/3 majority of the City Council.