Chamber testifies on the importance of infrastructure investment

Today, Kentucky Chamber President and CEO Dave Adkisson testified before the House Working Group on Kentucky’s Transportation.  Adkisson presented information from A Citizen’s Guide to Kentucky Infrastructure published by the Chamber earlier this year.  He stressed the need for long-term, sustainable funding that supports all modes of transportation, which is critical to a pro-growth economy and economic development.

Adkisson explained to the working group that infrastructure investment is one of the top needs of the business community and that much of our economy depends on highways, bridges, riverports, rail and airports.  In a 2015 Kentucky Chamber strategic plan for the state, Four Pillars for Prosperity, infrastructure is identified by the business community as one priority for economic prosperity.

Adkisson discussed the number of jobs in Kentucky dependent on transportation infrastructure including those in the manufacturing, logistics, tourism, and automotive sectors.

In speaking to legislators that will be involved in developing policy solutions in 2018 to meet our transportation infrastructure needs, Adkisson pointed out that the conversation regarding shoring up the road fund may include more than increasing the gas tax, even though border states Indiana and Tennessee increased their gas tax this summer.  “We don’t know if simply raising the gas tax is the only answer,” Adkisson said.

Adkisson thanked the legislature for passing public-private partnership legislation and emphasized the Chamber will continue to focus on that particular funding model moving forward.

The Chamber is part of the Kentucky Infrastructure Coalition which advocates for long-term, sustainable funding for transportation infrastructure.