In Trump’s first address, he promised that American infrastructure would become “second to none.” He committed to investing in urban centers, rebuilding highways and bridges, and improving schools. Yet, the administration’s infrastructure initiative released in May doesn’t make good on this promise. Though this initiative is currently scant in details, the administration champions infrastructure investment as a top policy priority with promises to release a more detailed proposal in early fall. Regardless, what the administration has revealed so far shines light on the kind of plan they intend to pursue. Trump’s infrastructure initiative will likely put large corporations at the forefront amid slashed funding for state and local government infrastructure, cuts to programs that help rural and underserved communities, and the leveraging of public private partnerships that aren’t in the interest of the general public and also undermine revenue generation. The plan in its current form does not go far enough to achieve the inclusive economic growth and prosperity the U.S. economy desperately needs — and the public deserves. An inclusive infrastructure agenda would invest in rural and underserved communities, universal broadband, and green energy.
Trump’s Infrastructure Initiative: Corporate America the Biggest Winner
The administration’s plan has two components that result in reducing Federal programs while helping corporate America: financing this initiative through tax breaks and privatizing key services.
- First, Trump’s $1 trillion infrastructure initiative aims to create $800 billion in private investment by executing $200 billion in tax breaks for corporations over ten years. Ultimately, the administration hopes to create public private partnerships to fund infrastructure projects across the country. These tax breaks, used to incentivize private infrastructure investment, would allow corporations to pay lower taxes — the tax breaks, however, do not guarantee $800 billion in…