I'm the mayor of a mid-sized city. Cities like mine need the federal government to invest in our infrastructure so our economies can bounce back from the pandemic.
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- Infrastructure — like roads, bridges, and energy grids — is the most foundational backbone of our country's economy.
- As cities recover from the economic devastation of COVID-19, now is the time for the federal government to help local governments rebuild key infrastructure.
- This aid will give cities like Noblesville, Indiana, a chance to bounce back from the pandemic and grow into the future.
- Chris Jensen is in his first term as mayor of his hometown of Noblesville.
- This is an opinion column. The thoughts expressed are those of the author.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
Infrastructure is the physical backbone of our country – but too often this discussion in Washington, DC is confined to our interstate highways and bridges. Leaders of local cities and towns across our country know that when it comes to infrastructure, the quintessential Main Street is starting to crumble.
With local governments experiencing significant financial impact from COVID-19, now is the time for our partners at the federal level to act in a way that will facilitate both short-term recovery and long-term growth.
Help to bounce back from the pandemic
Noblesville, Indiana is not unlike many cities or towns across our country. We work with our local, county, state – and yes, national — partners to do more with less, working to maintain and upgrade our roads, bridges, energy and utility systems, and communications networks. We have learned to get creative to deliver results for our constituents, after all, as the foundational level of government, we are most accountable to them every day.
Especially in these times, the primary challenge to building and maintaining a strong and healthy local infrastructure has been, and continues to be, the availability of funding.
As the federal government considers support for state and local governments, they should reject the urge to offer short-term relief and simply issue bail out checks to cities and towns. Instead, it should invest in them. With federal bonds needed to finance projects at record-low interest rates and infrastructure investment having broad bipartisan support, now is the ideal time for our federal partners to fund infrastructure dollars to the local level and invest in long-term assets.
With necessary accountability safeguards, federal road funding grants will unleash local governments and give them the flexibility to direct the dollars in ways that provide maximum benefit. They will also give local constituents more input at the level of government that is closest to the people and is best aligned to pursue current and future priorities.
Help economies grow into the future
As we experience increased unemployment rates, infrastructure investment acts as a force multiplier, creating jobs now, making communities safer and healthier, and building a foundation for economic growth for generations to come.
Funding these projects – especially ones that impact more than just a city or town, but a whole region – can serve as a catalyst for recovery for communities trying to navigate through this global pandemic. The City of Noblesville has identified several infrastructure projects that would have substantial local and regional impact in pursuit of these recovery goals.
Infrastructure investment is a critical need that is universally shared among cities and towns across the country – in red states and blue states. Mayors and constituents appreciate the steps Congress took to fund vital investments in public health, personal protective equipment, and other pandemic mitigation and response needs.
Now is the time to move forward and reinvest in the backbone of America. Local road funding grants can help fill in the revenue gaps and ultimately jump start our workforce and get Americans back to work.
Chris Jensen is in his first term as mayor of his hometown of Noblesville. Previously, he served on the Noblesville Common Council and worked in the administration of former Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels.
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