2008 National Governors Association Trip Priorities
Renewed Federal Investment Critical To Nation's Future
"The bottom line is that America
right now needs $1.6 trillion dollars to rebuild and to really invest in the
future...We must get going, we must invest." -Governor Schwarzenegger, Remarks, 1/19/08
Today
and tomorrow Governor Schwarzenegger will be in Washington D.C.
for the annual National Governors Association Winter Meeting. As part of his
trip, the Governor will be meeting with White House and key administration
officials to push for action on important federal priorities for California. Among the Governor's top priorities is
boosting federal investment in infrastructure. Over the next five years, America
will need $1.6 trillion worth of infrastructure, yet federal investment has
been cut in half as a percent of gross domestic product since 1987. Rebuilding
and expanding America's
infrastructure creates jobs, boosts incomes, enables goods movement,
strengthens trade and helps the economy, while protecting the environment.
The
Governor is calling on the federal government to increase investment in America's aging
infrastructure. Sound infrastructure is critical to American
competiveness, quality of life, environmental sustainability, public safety and
homeland security. Unfortunately our nation has fallen behind when it comes to
infrastructure investment.
- The
Governor is joined by local and state leaders from across the country in
his call for renewed federal commitment to funding America's infrastructure needs.
- Last month, Governor Schwarzenegger joined Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to form a new bi-partisan, multi-state coalition called, "Building America's Future," to rally support for federal infrastructure investment.
- Today, Governor Schwarzenegger will welcome additional leaders from across the nation into the "Building America's Future" coalition, including the governors of: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.
Investing in infrastructure a key component of the Governor's overall economic development strategy for California. This year, the Governor has:
- Committed to working with the Legislature, labor and environmental leaders, builders, engineers and cabinet officials to find ways to overcome statutory and regulatory barriers to fast track the $29 billion in unallocated 2006 infrastructure bond funding.
- Proposed as part of his State of the State speech that California pursue the broad use of Performance Based Infrastructure (PBI), establish the Strategic Growth Council to promote economic, sustainable growth and development and meet the state's skilled workforce demands with 20,000 new engineers over the next decade.
- Called
for additional investment in water, education and court infrastructure as
part of California's
Strategic Growth Plan.
In further actions to stimulate California's economy through investment in infrastructure, over the past month the Governor has:
- Awarded $73 million for affordable housing projects in Proposition 1C and Proposition 46 funds to help more than 1,600 California families rent or purchase affordable housing.
- Announced $69.5 million in permanent low-interest loans from the Proposition 1C housing bonds to jumpstart 14 affordable multi-family projects up and down the state helping more than 1,000 California families and individuals realize the dream of an affordable rental home.
- Expedited implementation of $211 million in Proposition 1E funds to four critical levee improvement projects in three counties.
