White House gives Ohio infrastructure a C-minus grade
(The Center Square) – A White House assessment graded Ohio’s infrastructure with a C-minus and said President Joe Biden’s American Jobs Plan would make historic investments to improve everything from roads and bridges to caregiving and veterans’ health.
Biden’s plan has drawn criticism from the U.S. Senate to Ohio lawmakers and think tanks, all of which believe infrastructure across the nation, and in Ohio, needs addressed but take issue with Biden’s plan.
“First, our infrastructure, while in need of upkeep, is not nearly as bad off as portrayed by the Biden administration,” said Greg Lawson, research fellow at the independent research and education think tank The Buckeye Institute. “And, unfortunately, the White House’s state-by-state outline does not provide taxpayers with any transparency on where they got their data or how they arrived at these assumptions.
“Taxpayers might assume the C- rating comes from the American Society of Civil Engineers – a special interest group that will make a lot of money from the funding of President Biden’s plan – but taxpayers can’t be certain,” Lawson said.
To help pay for the $2.7 trillion proposal that funds road and bridge projects, along with public transportation and infrastructure to better withstand weather swings, Biden plans a $2.5 billion tax hike, which includes raising taxes on corporations and closing opportunities to send profits overseas.
The American Jobs Plan also includes money for drinking water investments, increasing the housing supply, expanding broadband, caregiving, child care, the manufacturing industry, home energy, clean energy jobs and veterans’ health.
The Ohio General Assembly passed an $8.3 billion transportation budget last month that included $2.6 billion for state-maintained road projects and improvements. It also included more than $300 million for highway safety projects and $74 million for public transit.
Lawmakers also have committed to protecting the Great Lakes by limiting runoff and continues to address energy and power, said John Fortney, director of communications for the Ohio Senate Majority Caucus.
“It appears to be a paper filled with political posturing and promises that aren’t paid for,” Fortney said in regards to the White House’s assessment of Ohio.
Spending in areas not traditionally associated with infrastructure has Lawson concerned.
“The definition of infrastructure is being strained to the breaking point in order to cover social programs and gifts to various political constituencies,” Lawson said. “There can be a debate about expanded child care and other items – that is what we send our elected officials to D.C. to do, debate what laws and programs we need – but these items are not infrastructure.”
Including billions for things such child care, caregiving, clean energy jobs and veterans’ health care also left U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, concerned. On the Senate floor earlier this week, Portman said he believes each of those things deserve consideration and debate, just not in a massive funding bill supposedly focused on infrastructure.
“Instead of a $2.7 trillion plan that goes way beyond any reasonable definition of infrastructure and is mostly paid for with a devastating tax hike on U.S. workers and our economy, let’s do what we know works,” Portman said.
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