The past couple weeks has seen an influx of articles on the bills that Obama is attempting pass. The Huffington Post recently published an article discussing America Fast Forward. It is a “bipartisan proposal that has the potential of creating up to a million jobs without adding to the long-term debt.” It is the centerpiece of the Boxer-Inhofe Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill and if passed can create nearly a million jobs over the next six years.
America Fast Forward includes speeding up the construction of locally-funded roads and railways. It aims to do this by getting low-interest loans from the federal government. Furthermore, the plan expands upon an already existing plan called the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 1998 (TIFIA).
Voters in Los Angeles County, Denver, Atlanta and Salt Lake City did what most everyone is afraid to do: vote to raise their taxes and invest the money in new rail lines, more efficient and safer highways and improved bus services. By voting for these changes, more jobs can be created, transportation will be better and, as the Post states, businesses will be able to get their goods to markets faster. The Post also points out how America Fast Forward is an incentive program rather than just a giveaway. “It’s designed to spur local jurisdictions to raise local revenue for their projects. That’s the kind of federalism that both Democrats and Republicans should be able to get behind.”
SOURCE: The Huffington Post
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