In his first State of the Union address, delivered Monday at the Capitol, President Trump called for a $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan that would depend significantly on state and local dollars, but without a specific map explaining how to reach that figure. "Every federal dollar should be leveraged by partnering with state and local governments and, where appropriate, tapping into private sector investment -- to permanently fix the infrastructure deficit," the president said in
his speech. Outlets
including Route Fifty reported that officials with the administration had indicated a desire for a package built on $200 billion of direct federal spending over a decade, expanded to the $1 trillion mark with money from state and local governments and the private sector. National League of Cities President Mark Stodola, the mayor of Little Rock, Ark., acknowledged the need for a bold, new plan to tackle the infrastructure deficit (discussed in detail with the League in 2016
on the Municipal Equation podcast). But Mayor Stodola also
expressed concern with the Trump plan, noting that cities and towns are already straining to meet infrastructure needs. "City leaders are unable to ignore our nation’s aging infrastructure. Every day, we’re forced to make emergency repairs and often have to raise additional funds where we’re able," Mayor Stodola said. "We are already leveraging every dollar available, and we need our federal partners to pay their share. That’s how we will build for 2050, instead of simply fixing 1950." He added: "As cities work to address the aging physical infrastructure needs in communities across America, we must simultaneously invest in the human capital that makes these projects possible. We urge federal investment in programs that ensure a diverse and skilled workforce and prepare people for the jobs of the future." NLC recently launched its
Rebuild With Us campaign calling on Congress to partner with the nation's municipalities to meet needs in transportation, water, Internet and other vital infrastructure. The organization also released
a State of the Union breakdown of topics that matter to cities and towns.