Trump’s Infrastructure Plan is out – and controversy is rampant!

President Trump released his Infrastructure Plan on Monday and to no surprise…it pleased almost no one…other than perhaps those who crafted it.  Some have questioned whether the plan pleases anyone. The plan has been touted as a $1.5 trillion investment but there is actually very little funding coming from government. Even worse, the funding is […]

Bridge safety should become a national concern

There are more than 54,000 structurally deficient bridges in the U.S. That designation does not mean the bridges are in imminent danger of collapsing, but it does mean that they need immediate attention. That fact becomes more alarming when one realizes that every day more than 174 million motorists drive over the nation’s structurally deficient […]

Government needs private sector expertise – collaboration should be easier!

Working with government procurement has changed over the past few years…and not necessarily for the better. Unfortunately, it is often harder now to sell to government than it was in the past. State and local government spending now surpasses even that of the federal government.  Many large, experienced firms are eager to move into state […]

Solar energy industry sector gets slammed

Projections of a possible record year for electric power production from renewable energy sources have been tempered significantly by actions of the Trump administration. The announcement that the U.S. government would impose a 30 percent tariff on imported solar equipment such as photovoltaic cells and modules created shudders throughout the industry. And the shockwaves were […]

Infrastructure plan moves closer to public release

The nation’s long-awaited Infrastructure Plan will be addressed during next week’s State of the Union address, according to President Trump, who also says the plan that originally was expected to result in a $1 trillion nationwide infrastructure investment has now grown to an investment forecast of approximately $1.7 trillion. This comes on the heels of […]

President’s infrastructure plan outlined

The expanded use and funding for Private Activity Bonds (PABs) has again taken over the spotlight in infrastructure debate in America. A six-page document claimed to be the draft outline for President Trump’s long-awaited national infrastructure plan was leaked this week and PABs are among the major infrastructure funding principles addressed. The leaked plan does not yet […]

State and local government leaders continue to be great innovators

Municipal and county leaders throughout the country are in a bind. Coming off a year scarred by devastating multi-billion-dollar natural disasters, they are grappling with historic rebuilding efforts…while also dealing with the demands of dozens of other critical issues. These public officials were already facing growing budget gaps, aging technology, critical infrastructure needs, a continual […]