The Monday Memo: $1 Trillion Infrastructure Initiative

*Special Note* I know that it is Tuesday, but I intended to post this last night.  Just took a little longer to get all of my ideas down on paper.  Yes, I said "paper".

Light Rail Station & Train in Phoenix

Our roads, bridges and other elements of our nation’s infrastructure are crumbling.  I am sure that is not news to anyone who has lived through the last couple of decades, but it seems that the news organizations along with the various governments don’t seem to care.  Actually, the only time they seem to care is when a bridge collapses somewhere, costing lives that didn’t need to be lost.

I recommend that Congress invest $1 trillion over the next 10 years to repair, improve and build new infrastructure.  Spending $100 billion each year for the next 10 years we can build new bridges, new paved roads in rural locations, new high speed rail as well as light and commuter rail for cities.  We also need to rebuild our water, electric, natural gas and gas delivery systems.

There is no reason that we should have this backlog of infrastructure needs.  There is no reason why China and other nations should be investing heavily in their infrastructure while we keep pushing need repairs and improvements down the road.  We should the leader in high speed passenger rail.  We should be the leader in light and commuter rail.  We should be the leader in paved rural roads.  We should be the leader in improving and replacing our water, electric, natural gas and gas delivery systems.  Yet we are not.

Of course, $100 billion a year for the next 10 years is not cheap, but then neither are the lives and time lost each year due to our crumbling infrastructure.  It doesn’t help that this particular Congress isn’t keen on new spending, unless of course there is another country to invade then we will always find the money.

The following is how I recommend paying for this trillion dollar infrastructure initiative:

•  $25.00 Infrastructure Savings Bonds – This will allow individuals to purchase savings bonds that are targeted for the infrastructure initiative
• $2.50 per airline ticket infrastructure surcharge
• $1.00 per intra-city (i.e. Amtrak, Greyhound, Trailways, etc…) ticket infrastructure surcharge
• $1.00 per month per residential customer energy infrastructure surcharge (this would apply to each electric, water and gas bill)
• $100.00 per month per location per bill small business energy infrastructure surcharge (this would apply to each electric, water and gas bill)
• $1000.00 per month per location per bill medium business energy infrastructure surcharge (this would apply to each electric, water and gas bill)
•  $10,000 per month per location per bill large business energy infrastructure surcharge (this would apply to each electric, water and gas bill)
• $0.05 per gallon infrastructure tax
• $0.25 per passenger per one way ticket intercity bus, light or commuter rail infrastructure surcharge

The majority of the revenue streams to pay for my $1 trillion infrastructure initiative are use taxes, which so called fiscal conservatives seem to like (unless affected by them).  As each person and business will benefit from the infrastructure initiative, each should contribute.  I think this is the best way to do it, although I am sure someone can suggest improvements.  Be sure to let me know.