Highlights Long-Held California Priorities for National Agenda

In his first face-to-face meeting with President-elect Barack Obama and Vice-President-elect Joe Biden at the National Governor's Association (NGA) meeting in Philadelphia, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger presented suggestions for a federal economic recovery plan created by the nation's Governors.  Highlighting long-standing California priorities, the Governor urged the President-elect to make a large and immediate commitment to national infrastructure investment - noting that federal investment in infrastructure is not only necessary for continued global competitiveness and long-term economic growth, but also that it will create tens of thousands of jobs when Americans need them the most. 

"Since I took office I have been passionate about infrastructure, about rebuilding California and rebuilding America," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "Infrastructure investment is not only necessary for long-term economic growth and global competitiveness - but it will also create jobs when Americans, and Californians, need them the most."

Over the next 20 years, California will have more than $500 billion in infrastructure needs and at this time, California has more than $28 billion in projects that would be ready to break ground or place orders in the first 120 days of the new administration in Washington. According to NGA estimates, across the nation there are more than $136 billion in infrastructure projects that are ready to break ground and create jobs within two years. 

"With an immediate commitment to national infrastructure investment, it's possible to put shovels in the dirt and start immediately on projects across the nation," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "This would quickly start to boost the economy with orders from U.S. factories for steel, cement, asphalt and other materials - creating jobs now and laying the foundation for future economic growth."

Governor Schwarzenegger has made his commitment to improving California's deteriorating infrastructure a number one priority on the state and national level, working to ensure we accommodate our state's growing population - which is expected to almost double by 2050.  In 2006, the Governor championed and California voters approved $42 billion in infrastructure bonds to build California's roads, schools, parks, levees and housing. 

The Governor has also long been calling for a dramatic boost in federal, private and state infrastructure investment.  The Governor joined with Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg earlier this year to form a new bipartisan, multi-state coalition called "Building America's Future," to rally support for federal infrastructure investment and put pressure on presidential candidates to increase federal support of infrastructure. He also welcomed 13 more governors from across the nation to the "Building America's Future" coalition as part of his trip to Washington, D.C. in February and called on the federal government to increase infrastructure investment.