Laborers launch massive pro-infrastructure campaign

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_3670

By Mark Gruenberg
1 June 2008

WASHINGTON - Calling rebuilding America a bipartisan and nonpartisan issue, the Laborers have launched a massive grass-roots campaign to mobilize both unionists and citizens in favor of dedicated, massive investment in reconstructing the nation's airports, highways and railroads, union President Terry O'Sullivan announced.

O'Sullivan unveiled the drive in a May speech to the "America 2050" symposium, hosted by the Woodrow Wilson Center, a D.C. think tank. He said that without such reconstruction, the U.S. would fall behind economically as our goods would be unable to move--and workers would be unable to get to jobs.

The Laborers' "Petition To Build America" includes full-page ads and broadcast spots, first aimed at "opinion makers" in the D.C. area, but then extending to other cities, starting with Denver, O'Sullivan said.

Its aim to is to garner at least 1 million signatures on petitions to lawmakers and the incoming administration next year to re-think how the U.S. goes about financing its infrastructure--and putting that funding on a sound basis.

Right now, roads are paid for by gas taxes. The Highway Trust Fund, which gets those revenues, faces a large shortfall, he noted. And airport and airway expansion and improvements are paid for by "user fees": Ticket taxes for passengers and fuel surcharges for airlines and private planes. Freight railroads do not get federal funds.

But, as the National Air Traffic Controllers Association has pointed out, those revenues are falling short, too, particularly for investing in the next generation of airplane tracking systems. Those global positioning satellite-based systems would replace 1950s-era radar and allow more efficient use of the nation's crowded skies.


FULL story at link.