The President’s effort to rebuild America’s infrastructure continues to gain support from the American public and commentators.
Polling
RASMUSSEN REPORTS: Support High for Trump’s Infrastructure Plan
“President Trump’s plan to fix the nation’s ailing infrastructure calls for generating $1.5 trillion in upgrades through ventures involving the federal government, state government and private industry. Most voters support the proposal, and among those voters, most like the idea of finding outside sources to help fund it. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 65% of Likely U.S. Voters favor Trump’s major plan to improve America’s infrastructure, including highways, bridges and tunnels.”
Commentary
THE OKLAHOMAN EDITORIAL BOARD: Infrastructure Could Benefit from Trump’s Regulatory Reforms
“Deregulation has been a major focus of the Trump administration, and those efforts have paid off in increased economic activity. So Americans should welcome news that President Trump has included regulatory streamlining in his infrastructure proposal.”
BLOOMBERG VIEW EDITORIAL BOARD: Trump’s Hardest Construction Job
“President Donald Trump is offering some good ideas with his infrastructure proposal…. Some aspects are indeed promising. Giving states and cities an incentive to spend more on their own public works makes sense, especially when borrowing costs are moderate. Encouraging them to impose user fees, such as tolls, might help control costs and leave them less reliant on Washington. Attracting private investment is likewise a sensible goal. In addition to boosting available funds, it could lead to more efficient and innovative projects, and thereby reduce public maintenance costs down the road…. On a problem that Congress has avoided for too long, this plan offers a decent start.”
THE HILL CONTRIBUTOR LIZ PEEK: Trump Infrastructure Plan Will Boost Spending, Cut Costs
“So, we have to be smarter in how we finance our needed investments, and to save money, we need to cut regulations to speed the permitting process. That’s what Trump is proposing, and he has it exactly right.”
UBS AMERICAS PRESIDENT TOM NARATIL IN USA TODAY: Trump’s Infrastructure Plan Is Gaining Support from Small Businesses
“Four out of five business owners we spoke to support the idea of splitting costs between the public and private sectors. They particularly find public-private partnerships (P3s) to be the most appealing way to quickly and effectively mobilize dollars for our crumbling infrastructure. That’s where the Trump Administration’s infrastructure plan comes in. The elements that have already been made public include several provisions that seek to leverage the combined strengths of the public and private sectors.”
REASON FOUNDATION’S ROBERT POOLE: Assessing the White House Infrastructure Plan
“The White House’s more nuanced approach is not intended as a massive ‘stimulus’ program, which is not what America needs. What we do need is much better targeting of investment to infrastructure projects that deliver better value for money. Both the Incentives Initiative and the Transformative Projects Program are aimed at this kind of project. And the former, in particular, is aimed at expanding the use of long-term public-private partnerships (P3s), for which hundreds of billions in private equity capital is interested and available…. That plus meaningful streamlining of the permitting process should open the door for significant new investment in American infrastructure.”
AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE’S R. RICHARD GEDDES IN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Why Some Stops Are a Cut Above the Rest
“Mr. Trump’s plan would allow rest areas to be converted into valuable revenue-producing assets. Many are strategically located with easy on- and offramps, sidewalks, streetlights and restrooms already installed. Adding restaurants and shops would be inexpensive and profitable. The renovated stops could also offer amenities such as electric-vehicle charging stations.”
