Opinion | Herald Tribune
Bradenton’s own Bill Galvano officially became president of the Florida Senate Tuesday, and part of the leading senator’s remarks reflected his pragmatism.
Galvano moderately referred to standard GOP fare, such as “keeping taxes low, regulations reasonable” and limiting state debt. But Galvano also sent signals about reshaping a sentiment that has prevailed in Tallahassee for too long — that expenditures on infrastructure are costs to be avoided or delayed.
Instead, Galvano said: “The future of Florida’s economy and the ability to expand and diversify its economy is tied to the strength of our infrastructure and our investment therein. At all levels, from transportation to water to communications. Let us together think innovatively when it comes to infrastructure, so we are not just addressing the needs of today, but anticipating the needs of the tomorrow.”
Exactly.
Accurately predicting long-range conditions, changes in technology and societal trends is difficult. But as Galvano noted, transportation (not just roads), water and communications are necessary now and will be into the near future.
State government, and by extension local councils and commissions, should invest in infrastructure strategically and efficiently. But governments should also invest willfully and with recognition of the benefits those investments provide.
One often-overlooked benefit of infrastructure is that, when taxpayers fund roads, rails, water, storm-water management, health care facilities and the like, they help businesses directly and indirectly. The vast majority of infrastructure projects are designed, engineered and constructed by the private sector. When those projects are completed and maintained, they enable business and commerce to continue and grow.
Perhaps one of the most significant, successful examples of past infrastructure investments is the system developed by the Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority. That organization serves four counties — Sarasota, Manatee, DeSoto and Charlotte — and has responsibly expanded and connected the region’s water supplies. Had that system not been in place, spring droughts in recent years would have caused economic crises, especially in Charlotte County.
Largely overlooked, until this year’s horrible red tide outbreak, is the need for greater investments in systems — some big, some small — that prevent nutrients generated on the mainland from polluting rivers, bays and the Gulf. If ever there was a politically opportune time to accelerate treatment of South Florida water and runoff from inland and coastal counties, this is it.
We strongly urge Galvano, his colleagues in the Legislature and incoming Gov. Rick DeSantis to revisit how Florida could reasonably re-establish links between infrastructure availability and local growth-management rules. Previous state requirements may have been too cumbersome, and changes in property-right laws have occurred, but public sentiment seems clear: There should be a mandatory connection between sufficient infrastructure and development.
Finally, we hope Galvano will consider adding affordable housing to the definition of infrastructure. The lack of housing that Florida’s workforce can afford is becoming a drag on local economies. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to jump-start state funding: Direct housing-trust funds to housing, rather than raiding them.
Galvano will have no shortage of suggestions and challenges. But we wish him well and applaud his early focus on infrastructure.
Article last accessed on November 21, 2018 here. A print-ready pdf version is available here.