A bridge falls

One of the chief purposes of government, as I see it, is to "fix potholes", the potholes being a metaphor for the various types of infrastructure necessary for the proper functioning of our economy and society - roads, bridges, schools, drinking water, etc. Sadly, those are things we take for granted until we have a tragedy such as the one in Minneapolis Wednesday. It's not that state and local governments can't see these things coming, it's that the reluctance to properly fund maintenance frequently leaves those responsible in a bind.

Government knows full well where the problems are. The American Society Of Civil Engineers, via Daily Kos, report the ugly:

Dams (D+) Since 1998, the number of unsafe dams has risen by 33% to more than 3,500. While federally owned dams are in good condition, and there have been modest gains in repair, the number of dams identified as unsafe is increasing at a faster rate than those being repaired. $10.1 billion is needed over the next 12 years to address all critical non-federal dams--dams which pose a direct risk to human life should they fail. ...

Drinking Water (D-) America faces a shortfall of $11 billion annually to replace aging facilities and comply with safe drinking water regulations. Federal funding for drinking water in 2005 remained level at $850 million, less than 10% of the total national requirement. The Bush administration has proposed the same level of funding for FY06. ...

Schools (D) The Federal government has not assessed the condition of America's schools since 1999, when it estimated that $127 billion was needed to bring facilities to good condition. Other sources have since reported a need as high as $268 billion. Despite public support of bond initiatives to provide funding for school facilities, without a clear understanding of the need, it is uncertain whether schools can meet increasing enrollment demands and the smaller class sizes mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act. ...

Transit (D+)Transit use increased faster than any other mode of transportation--up 21%--between 1993 and 2002. Federal investment during this period stemmed the decline in the condition of existing transit infrastructure. The reduction in federal investment in real dollars since 2001 threatens this turnaround. In 2002, total capital outlays for transit were $12.3 billion. The Federal Transit Administration estimates $14.8 billion is needed annually to maintain conditions, and $20.6 billion is needed to improve to "good" conditions. Meanwhile, many major transit properties are borrowing funds to maintain operations, even as they are significantly raising fares and cutting back service. ...

Wastewater (D-) Aging wastewater management systems discharge billions of gallons of untreated sewage into U.S. surface waters each year. The EPA estimates that the nation must invest $390 billion over the next 20 years to replace existing systems and build new ones to meet increasing demands. Yet, in 2005, Congress cut funding for wastewater management for the first time in eight years. The Bush administration has proposed a further 33% reduction, to $730 million, for FY06.

I deal with some of this stuff out of firsthand experience, working in a 75-year-old water treatment plant where we provide safe drinking water despite working with some equipment that predates World War II, while other workers in the field keep 100-year-old mains functioning. We are expected to do are job successfully and without federal violations, as we should be, yet our success ironically is cited as proof that our equipment and facilities are just fine and that further investment is unnecessary.

So will the Minneapolis bridge collapse lead to heightened awareness of America's infrastructure problems? Don't bet on it. Last night, Nashville conducted the first round of its mayoral election, and no sooner had the polls closed than ex-Congressman Bob Clement was castigating in his best Foghorn Leghorn voice runoff opponent Karl Dean for his opposition to a rule change requiring that property tax increases be approved by popular vote. Dean, city legal director at the time, maintains that the referendum requirement is unconstitutional. Voters going to the polls yesterday claimed that illegal immigration was the biggest issue facing the city of Nashville (although we are 1000 miles from the nearest border), while maintaining schools and roads was mentioned by only 5% of those polled.

Although good arguments can be made for requiring popular approval of tax increases, this leads to those wishing to see improvements properly funded running into opposition from those who oppose all tax increases, anywhere, anytime. Genuine needs get lost in the argument over whose money it is. What's most galling of all about the anti-taxers is that they have no good idea of how infrastructure improvements are supposed to be paid for.

Meanwhile, schools go without adequate heat and air conditioning, potholes grow, and bridges fall. It was Minneapolis the other day; it could be Nashville tomorrow. Truly we need to understand that we are all in this together.