Infrastructure investments build our future
By Ben Bright April 30, 2020
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, that was passed by Congress in late March was designed to help individuals, businesses, and even governments get access to stimulus money with the goal of keeping them solvent, and their people working, during the COVID-19 crisis. The $2.2 trillion CARES Act is a short-term measure that will provide employers immediate access to government guaranteed loans and grants (through the Paycheck Protection Program in the Act) to continue their operations, retain their workers and, hopefully, keep our economy out of a recession. We have confidence that this bipartisan program, along with our local citizens’ wonderful effort to support local restaurants, businesses, and other services, will be successful in the short term. But if we as a country are going to fully recover, we need to start discussing the long-term impacts of COVID-19 and the future needs of our communities. And we can start off that conversation with the future of infrastructure.
When we think of infrastructure, we think of roads, bridges, pipelines, utilities, water and sewage as well as other facilities that make life convenient and safe. But over the past several weeks of stay-at-home orders and limiting our social activities, the meaning of infrastructure has changed. Things like sidewalks, parks, bike trails, and hiking paths have become equally important infrastructure as people are balancing social distancing with the need for outdoor activities. COVID-19’s impact on our lives should also get us thinking about increased digital and wireless connectivity as necessary infrastructure as more people are working and educating from home.
But when we think of infrastructure the word “expensive” comes to mind. This is the case as major infrastructure projects that service thousands, or even millions of people do not come cheap. But in this current economic climate, we need to look at infrastructure as an investment that will pay a big return over time.
There is no question that government investment in infrastructure, especially in economic downtimes, helps stimulate the economy by creating jobs and producing orders for construction supplies and equipment. This is also the basis for the CARES Act, to inject quick cash into the economy through government-backed loans and grants to individuals and businesses to help them survive. But unlike the CARES Act, the government’s investment in updating, repairing, and building new infrastructure will both create new jobs in the short-term through project construction, and lay the groundwork for future job and business growth in the long term. Improved transportation options will allow companies access to new markets to both sell their goods and to find trustworthy employees. And updated water and sewage systems, faster internet broadband services, and improved local roads, sidewalks and small-town main streets will allow businesses to expand into more areas and help local economies that have been forgotten over the years. These are good long-term investments that will allow us to not only recover from the coronavirus pandemic, but grow stronger than before.
To date, both President Trump and Democrats in Congress are backing multitrillion-dollar infrastructure stimulus plans that would create millions of jobs and upgrade our infrastructure. Unfortunately, Republicans in Congress are taking a “wait-and-see” approach to see if the CARES Act is having an impact. We cannot wait for the future; we must build the future. And investing in our infrastructure will allow us to lay the first stones.
Ben Bright is chairman of the Washington County Democratic Committee.
