State officials push for overhaul of infrastructure

The need to rebuild the nation's aging transportation infrastructure has been a major theme for Republicans at their convention in St. Paul, with last year's collapse of the nearby Interstate-35W Bridge in Minneapolis still a fresh memory.

Former New York Gov. George Pataki hopes that support for improving the nation's infrastructure continues to grow and believes that a win by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., would help increase private-sector investment in building roads, bridges, tunnels and other types of transportation infrastructure. Although such projects are typically funded through a raft of federal, state or local gas or other taxes, as well as, state and local bonds, Republicans are calling for a more free-market approach.

"I know that Sen. McCain has been very supportive of innovative ways of building infrastructure, including empowering the private sector," Pataki said. "I think that when you simply have government doing everything, it doesn't have the resources. What we have to do is form public-private partnerships. I know Sen. McCain has been supportive of that."

Pataki now works for the Chadbourne & Parke law firm, which has been expanding its private infrastructure finance team.

Pataki also lamented the breakdown in the appropriations process this year. Citing President Bush's preemptive threat to veto any spending bill that provides more funding than he recommends, Democrats have said they do not intend to finish all 12 appropriations bills. Instead, they intend to pass a continuing resolution until the next president and Congress are installed.

"It is disappointing that the Democratic-controlled Congress has not been able to provide the leadership that the American people hoped, and I think that is one of the reasons that we have make sure we win this election," Pataki said.

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, who was among the first governors to embrace private road financing, echoed Pataki's comments.

"If these presidential campaigns are good for anything, it ought to be to bring things like that to the surface so the public can learn more about it and we can figure out the best way forward," he said.