Keep an eye on transportation as federal budget gets cut
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December 08, 2010
BY NATE WEBB OklahomanPublished: December 8, 2010With our country facing mounting debt, all items in the federal budget are on the chopping block. States must compete with others to obtain federal funding across all sectors.
One area to watch is transportation. Whether it’s improving road conditions to keep transportation costs down for retailers shipping goods or attracting transportation-related companies to Oklahoma to create jobs, sound infrastructure policies are imperative.
During the November election in Oklahoma, education funding was a hot topic. Undoubtedly, education should always be a priority for Oklahoma. But I’d argue that funding for transportation infrastructure should be, as well.
With almost one in five roads in poor condition and more than one in five bridges deemed “structurally deficient,” Oklahoma ranks low nationally. Luckily, we’ve made progress in those areas thanks to Transportation Secretary Gary Ridley. We also have a growing aerospace industry and strong waterways, especially in eastern Oklahoma, where almost 4 million tons of commerce, equaling about $2 billion, was transported on our waters.
With Gov.-elect Mary Fallin‘s experience in transportation, I believe Oklahoma has the right leader to focus on our roads, airways and waterways. In Congress, Fallin sat on both the Committee on Transportation Infrastructure and the Committee on Small Business. Because there is a strong connection between a state’s economic policies and job creation, Fallin’s time on those committees will be an invaluable resource for Oklahomans.
Just recently, Boeing announced that 550 engineers are moving to Oklahoma or being hired locally. On average, they will earn $130,000 annually. When Boeing made the announcement, it cited Oklahoma’s economic incentives in its decision to move jobs here. Those are incentives Oklahoma lawmakers on both sides of the aisle must fight to keep even during tough economic times.
Boeing is just one company to recognize Oklahoma’s growing aerospace industry. According to the Oklahoma Aerospace Alliance, more than 143,000 Oklahomans are employed in the industry, earning $5 billion annually. Overall, about 10 percent of the state’s economy comes from aerospace.
For good reason, Oklahoma is known as an energy state. But with thousands of Oklahomans employed in the transportation industry and billions of dollars in goods flowing through our waters, flying through our skies and transported on our roads, we could easily be known as a transportation state.
With the national economy on the mend, states are aggressively marketing themselves against each other to attract the best-paying jobs. For Oklahoma to win, we need the strongest transportation infrastructure in place and the best policies to support it.
Whether it’s our congressional delegation fighting for funding in D.C. or our legislators at home passing meaningful pro-job legislation, we need all weapons on deck when it comes to the transportation industry.
Webb is chief of staff for Gov.-elect Mary Fallin. In January, he will become partner in the Oklahoma-based government relations firm Capitol Gains.
