How do we fund water safety and when do we start?

Lead water lines constitute a national problem. What can be done?

water infrastructure

The nation’s water infrastructure has taken another hit – and it will be a costly one. Just one day after U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials put state drinking water systems on notice that the agency was about to step up its enforcement of lead contamination rules for drinking water, a price tag was attached […]

How long will Texas wait to fix its water problems?

Public-private partnerships could be the answer to water problems

water problems

Parts of Texas are edging back toward drought conditions after a short three-month reprieve from five years of severe to extreme drought. In the Southwest, drought conditions have existed for 11 of the last 14 years. Water resources are being depleted. The summer months, when water demand skyrockets, are almost upon us and resources will […]

Texas ports launching major improvement projects

Texas Senate committee to study effects of Panama Canal expansion

Corpus Christi, Texas ports

The state of Texas has financed a little more than $300 million in port improvements since 2010. That’s not much when compared to the $46 billion that port officials from both the public and private sectors nationwide say is needed because of the Panama Canal expansion. That jaw-dropping total may even increase because port officials […]

Kentucky P3 bill passes House, heads to Senate

After failed attempts in both 2014 and 2015, the Kentucky public-private partnerships (P3) bill is inching toward passage. The Kentucky House on Thursday approved House Bill 309, which would allow collaborative efforts between state and local governments and the private sector for major public projects and services as well as some qualifying transportation projects. The Kentucky P3 […]

A ‘Silver Tsunami’ is looming

The government workforce is primed for mass retirements, which has been dubbed the silver tsunami

Baby Boomers will soon retire in great numbers … how will government workforce be affected? Workers in the United States are aging…and aging so quickly it frightens most employers. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 10,000 Baby Boomers will celebrate a 65th birthday every single day between now and 2030. For perspective, the largest stadium […]

Dayton plan would mean major investment in Minnesota infrastructure

image of the state seal of Minnesota where the governor recently unveiled a $1.4B proposal to address Minnesota infrastructure

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton is in an enviable position. Unlike in most other states, Minnesota’s state treasury is sitting pretty with a $1.9 billion surplus. With those funds securely in hand, Dayton recently proposed borrowing $1.4 billion to finance more than 100 public projects throughout the state – from construction at public college campuses to supporting the […]

Billions being spent on ports – but ROI will be even higher

In October 2006, an historic decision was made – the 50-mile-long Panama Canal would be deepened and expanded to allow for the largest ships to pass through its channels. The estimated price tag of more than $4 billion was not a deal-killer and work was started on one of the largest, far-reaching projects in recent […]