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VP Mike Pence assures mayors Trump will follow through with ‘big’ infrastructure program
WASHINGTON — Vice President Mike Pence has assured mayors that the Trump administration would follow through on campaign promises to launch a "big" infrastructure investment program.
However, a new poll indicated the public would have a hard time supporting a plan that relied heavily on tolls to repay private investors for backing highway and bridge projects, after Trump officials have said they want to incentivize the private sector rather than just count on public funds for infrastructure improvements.
According to an article in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Journal, in remarks January 17 to the winter meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, Pence said he had told President Donald Trump he would be appearing.
"In addition to urging me to send along greetings, he said, 'Tell them we're going to do an infrastructure bill – and it's going to be big,'" Pence said.
Pence also said the infrastructure plan would include funding to "help communities and states all across America meet the needs that face too many communities and oftentimes stifle growth," The Hill newspaper reported.
His remarks follow those of Trump's nominee as transportation secretary, Elaine Chao, who told senators in her January 11 nomination hearing that "the president's vision for an infrastructure proposal is ambitious and futuristic and comprehensive."
Chao also emphasized the need to spur more private investment but also said she believed that more direct federal funding would be part of the plan. She said the new administration would have an infrastructure task force develop a bipartisan proposal in concert with Congress.
Commerce Secretary-nominee Wilbur Ross told senators in his January 18 confirmation hearing that the financing proposal he helped write for the Trump campaign "was meant to provide another tool, not to be the be-all and end-all" of an infrastructure plan, The Hill reported. Ross said there would be a need for some form of direct federal support, the story added.
A new Washington Post-ABC News poll showed that "66 percent of those surveyed said they oppose a plan that would grant close to $140 billion in tax credits to investors who put their money into roads, bridges and transit in return for the right to impose tolls," the Post reported.
The Post said the poll, without mentioning Trump, posed this question: "There is a proposal to offer nearly $140 billion in tax cuts for private companies if they pay to build new roads, bridges and transportation projects. The companies then could charge tolls for people to use these roads, bridges and transportation. Do you support or oppose this proposal? Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat?"
Out of 1,005 people polled by telephone January 12-15, the Post said only 29 percent said they would support that plan, "with 11 percent saying they backed it strongly and another 18 percent saying they were somewhat supportive. In contrast, 44 percent said they were strongly opposed to the idea and 22 percent said they were somewhat opposed."
It is not clear when the incoming administration will unveil its investment proposals, with some reports indicating it will be this spring and others suggesting summer.
Some in Congress, and among industry groups including the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, have also called for the Trump administration to include in the infrastructure plan a permanent revenue fix to cover the annual shortfalls of the Highway Trust Fund.
Chao told lawmakers the administration wants to address the trust fund issues, but cautioned that to fix it "the pay-fors are all challenging," with both supporters and detractors for each.
The Trucker staff can be reached to comment on this article at [email protected].