Iowa’s handling of coronavirus testing and CARES Act distributions could be cause for skepticism about its prudence with infrastructure funds.
Months of work in Congress culminated with President Joe Biden signing an infrastructure-spending law. But the signing ceremony is better thought of as a beginning. The dollar figures earmarked for broadband access, road repairs, water quality and much more are only as meaningful as the wisdom of the projects to which they’re applied. Only Sen. Chuck Grassley and Rep. Cindy Axne voted for the bill among Iowa’s congressional delegation. The other Republicans publicly complained about, among other things, adding to the national debt ( Sen. Joni Ernst), omitting earmarks for biofuels ( Rep. Ashley Hinson), and wasting tax dollars ( Rep. Randy Feenstra). (Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks in a statement said she voted no in order to protest a different bill.) Debt and waste are legitimate concerns. But state and local governments have the tools they need to ensure effective, conscientious spending of the $5 billion coming to Iowa so that it produces long-lasting return on investment. That’s their responsibility, in fact. More: Iowa’s getting $5 billion in new projects from the infrastructure bill. Here’s a breakdown. The Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund is supported by gambling revenue and is the state’s primary vehicle for infrastructure spending. The Legislature directs appropriations from the fund. With new money coming in, why not do everything possible to make sure we get the most for it? The state could set up a full-blown infrastructure office to manage wish lists, proposals and interactions with the federal government, and it could appoint subject-matter experts to make recommendations on specific initiatives.
