Tag: Trump infrastructure plan

Trump’s long-awaited infrastructure plan is a fraud

The following article by Elham Khatami and Adam Peck was posted on the ThinkProgress website February 12, 2018:

This is the way Infrastructure Week begins, not with a bang but a whimper.

Credit: Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post via Getty Images

President Donald Trump unveiled his long-awaited infrastructure plan on Monday, touting the proposal as a $1.5 trillion investment in the nation’s highways, bridges, waterways, and other infrastructure projects. The plan’s topline number sounds great on the surface, but it wildly misconstrues the actual investment being proposed by the federal government — and Trump knows it.

The proposal aims to turn $200 billion in federal funds into a $1.5 trillion investment over the next ten years by placing most of the financial burden on states and cities, which will have to cover at least 80 percent of the cost of any infrastructure project in order to qualify for federal grants, likely through higher taxes, tolls, and other user fees. The $200 billion number is a dramatic reduction in federal cost-sharing from years past. Continue reading “Trump’s long-awaited infrastructure plan is a fraud”

6 Things to Watch for in Trump’s Infrastructure Scam

The following article by Kevin DeGood, Alison Cassady, Allison Preiss and Rejane Frederick was posted on the Center for American Progress website February 9, 2018:

Credit: AP Photo/The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Ben Gray

According to a recent report from Reuters, President Donald Trump is expected to release the principles for his long-awaited infrastructure plan on February 12, coinciding with the release of his fiscal year 2019 budget. These six potential items to watch for in Trump’s infrastructure scam show why elected officials and the American public should be highly skeptical of the president’s so-called infrastructure plan.

1. Cut at least $1.69 for every $1 of proposed expenditure on infrastructure

If the president’s fiscal year 2019 budget is anything like his fiscal year 2018 budget, the effect of Trump’s infrastructure scam would be a net cut to employment and total construction. Continue reading “6 Things to Watch for in Trump’s Infrastructure Scam”