With Florida’s unemployment rate approaching 12%, all the talk in Tallahassee is about creating jobs as it should be. Transportation construction is one of the best job creators we have. Every $1 Billion in transportation construction spending creates 28,000 jobs.
Not only does it create jobs, but we are investing in our future. We need to seriously improve our infrastructure. Transportation spending is one of the few tangible results we see from our tax dollars. I see this as a win-win for everyone. We create good, well-paying jobs and improve Florida’s transportation system at the same time.
The Florida’s Legislature is proposing massive sweeps to the State Transportation Trust Fund (STTF). The sweeps are a job wrecker! Here’s a news flash: In 2010-2011, FDOT will put out for bid $1.5 Billion of transportation construction work, a dramatic 50% drop from the average $3 billion put out for bid in the previous 5-6 years. The amount would have fallen in 2009-2010 but the stimulus spending on infrastructure saved us.
If the Legislature does not sweep any money this year transportation work still falls $1.5 Billion, which translates to 42,000 jobs!! Why do you suppose no one in the Legislature seems to grasp this? Those layoffs create huge jumps in unemployment claims and Medicaid claims.
The best job creation opportunity is looking the Legislature right in the face. It is time for real leadership on this issue. It is all about the jobs!
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