Findlay Mayor Lydia Mihalik believes she is well-positioned to weigh in on President Trump’s infrastructure plan, which calls for local governments to fund much-needed improvements and reduced regulations so projects can more quickly move forward.
Ms. Mihalik, a Republican, on March 15 joined about 15 other mayors from across the country in Washington, D.C., for a meeting with White House infrastructure policy adviser DJ Gribbin. It was the fourth time she has been to Washington to talk infrastructure, and she called the daylong session “a productive meeting.”
“There’s a lot in there, and there are a lot of details that still need to be hashed out,” she said of the plan. “Mayors are going to be highly engaged in this process, and we will look to partner with our representatives in Congress to hopefully construct something that is meaningful and helps us address the challenges that we face as cities in maintaining the nation’s infrastructure.”
The trip came after Site Selection magazine for the fourth consecutive year named Findlay the top small city in the nation for attracting industrial expansion and development. Ms. Mihalik credits the city’s investment in infrastructure for much of its success.
“We have placed a significant priority in replacing and repairing what we have and then also looking at growing where we need to in order to provide opportunities for new business,” Ms. Mihalik said.
One point of contention between local governments and the Trump administration is the proposed incentive program, which would commit federal dollars to infrastructure projects only if local governments can come up with enough funds to cover most of the work.
In a fact sheet released by the White House in mid-February, the Trump administration identified as a goal spending “$200 billion in federal funds to spur at least $1.5 trillion in infrastructure investments with partners at the state, local, tribal, and private level.”
Democrats have contended the plan’s reliance on local and state dollars will result in raised tolls for commuters, a sell-off of government-owned infrastructure to Wall Street, and the elimination of important environmental protections.
“After a full year of empty boasts, the President has finally unveiled a puny infrastructure scam that fully fails to meet the need in America’s communities,” House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, of California, said.
Ms. Mihalik said local governments for years have invested more in roads, bridges, water, and sewer than state or federal governments.
“In order to take advantage of new money from the federal government, the White House is proposing that we raise revenue locally to do so,” Ms. Mihalik said. “I am unsure as to what the appetite for that will be in the Findlay community.”
Mike Beazley, senior policy adviser to Toledo’s Democratic Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz, said he is watching developments in Washington closely and also has concerns about how much money local governments would be required to spend to qualify for federal assistance.
“We will have to see what direction the plan goes in. It is our hope and expectation that it will not penalize communities that aren’t in the position to spend a lot of local dollars or don’t have a natural private sector partner,” Mr. Beazley said.
One part of the White House’s framework Ms. Mihalik does like is regulatory reform. The plan looks to speed up the permitting process and expedite environmental reviews.
Findlay is prone to flooding from the Blanchard River and has a lot of experience working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to try to craft flood prevention projects. Ms. Mihalik said she would like to see the Corps’ process restructured and is pleased to be able to offer her insights in Washington.
“Shortening the permitting process, shortening the review time allows us to continue to do what we need to do to build this environment that’s conducive to economic development without federal bureaucracy slowing it down,” she said.
Mr. Beazley said the Kapszukiewicz administration would rather see the federal government work to free up more money for local communities than focus on streamlining regulations.
“We’re willing to jump through hoops to get the funding, if it’s there,” he said.
Toledo tied for third place in Site Selection’s economic development rankings for mid-size cities.
Among Findlay’s 2017 successes cited by Site Selection was a $44-million investment by New Jersey-based Campbell Soup Co. The company broke ground on a 740,000-sq.-ft distribution center that will employ 200 people on the city’s north end.
“The site leverages Findlay’s proximity to Interstate 75 and CSX’s North Baltimore railyard,” Site Selection said.
Blade news services contributed to this report.
Contact Sarah Elms at selms@theblade.com, 419-724-6103, or on Twitter @BySarahElms.
First Published March 20, 2018, 1:00 p.m.
