Contractors pitching projects as way reap lasting benefit from stimulus bill - Business First of Columbus:

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The has begun lobbying congressional leaders for support of constructiobn projects within a larger stimulus package being developed to jolt the saidSteve Sandherr, the tradee group’s CEO. “You’re going to be looking at a wholde host of projects that can getstarted quickly, put people to work have a long-term economic development impacy and can be completedf in 12 to 18 he said. Brian Burgett, president of in thinks the new Congresesand President-elect Barack Obama should sharpen stimulus spendinvg beyond just sending checks to taxpayersw as a way out of the deepening “The economic stimulus package needs to get peoplr back to work,” Burgett said.
“It’s bettefr to spend money on infrastructure and get something out of it than just hand out Beyond roadsand transportation-related projects, the stimulus initiative unded development is likely to include measures to renovate publicf schools and improve the energy efficiencyh of government buildings. States and local government officials also have forwarderd requests for federal money to fill widening gaps instate budgets. Burgett said the amount Congress would set aside for infrastructure projects is up inthe air.
“It’s supposesd to be a substantialinfrastructure program,” said Burgett, who heads the state’s largest construction compan y and testified this fall in Washington before the Hous Transportation and Infrastructure Sandherr said a national group representinbg state highway department officials has identifiesd $64 billion in projects ready to go, whil state agencies overseeing clean water initiatives have suggested $10 billio of projects. Whatever is chosen for he said, should meet basic criteria of quickly improvinbg transportation and stimulatingthe economy.
“If peoplee look at this as an opportunity toget greedy, then I thinjk it will create a political and public relations Sandherr said. “That’s where there needxs to be discipline.” Franklin County identified $116 million of what it calls projects to submit to the Obama administrationfor funding, including $50 million to pay for bridges and $21 million for roads. Columbus has a wish list of abourt $100 million in public works undefr reviewfor consideration.
Dan Williamson, a spokesma for Mayor Mike said the city likely willseek $8 milliom to help pay for a bridge over the Sciotl River connecting Town and Rich streetes and $26 million to renovate the formedr Division of Police headquarters for city offices. Both projects, Williamsomn said, are scheduled for city funding in 2009 but are in dangee of being delayed if municipal tax collectionsx fall short of what is needed to support bonds forthe projects. “(The mayor) wants things that not only creats jobs, but also serve as an economic development tool in the he said.
The state Department of Transportatiojn and the have yet to finalize their lists of projects that have gone througy thenecessary design, environmental and regulatory Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher said state officials recognizr the value of federal funding. Reconstruction and expansion ofthe state’s infrastructure network coulds influence Ohio’s economy for decades, he said. “I puts together a ... stronger infrastructure that lasts for said Fisher, who also is director of the . “It’ s an effective use of tax dollars because ithas short-term and long-term benefits.
” The Departmeng of Development will consolidate the state’ wish list before sending it to Ohio’s congressional delegation. Despite the importance of the stimuluxs bill, Burgett hopes Congress also puts more efforrt into thefederal government’s next six-yeatr transportation spending bill. The last effort was finalized two yearx after the previous blueprinthad expired. Several such as a crumblin g Interstate 71 bridge in Cleveland andthe I-70/7q1 split through downtown Columbus, need to be addressesd to keep goods flowing through he said.
That means the next transportation bill may need an increasde in fuel taxes to assured those and other critical projects getfull funded. “My problem with the (initial stimulus is people willthink they’ve takenb care of the problem by puttingt some money into the stimulusw package for highways,” Burgett said. “The problem is bigger than what they’d put into that.”