ASCE Executive Director Tom Smith addressing the group.
Infrastructure investment was a key topic on the agenda at the The National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA) annual Federal-State Relations meeting this week in Washington, DC. ASCE’s Executive Director Tom Smith participated in a panel discussion with Robert Atkinson from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation to help Lt. Governors tackle this important issue. Lt. Governors from 18 states were in attendance this week to hear from policy leaders on a variety of issues, but clearly infrastructure is front and center on their priority list. The panel discussion, entitled “Infrastructure Investment Conversation: How soon and how?,” tackled a variety of possible policies that states are considering particularly to address transportation financing such as tolls, vehicle miles travelled fees, and of course increases in fuel taxes.
NLGA has acknowledged that infrastructure is critical to the economy and that 21st century jobs require a 21st century infrastructure – from ports and roads to rail and aerospace. The state and territories second-in-command understand the potential consequences of delays or underinvestment in infrastructure improvement. The Lt. Governors spent their meeting time in Washington focusing on solutions they can take back home to address this important issue in their state.