LWV: Panel on Public Infrastructure Needs

The League of Women Voters of Portland will host a panel discussion on the status of public infrastructure in the U.S. and in Portland, and the need for a comprehensive policy to fund and implement maintenance programs and to update facilities to meet future needs on December 9 at 7pm. The event will be held in the Board Room of the Multnomah County Building, 501 SE Hawthorne Boulevard, Portland. The event is free, and the public is invited to attend.

In 2005 the American Society of Civil Engineers gave American infrastructure a “D” grade in quality across the board. From aviation and energy to schools and transit, the care and maintenance of our infrastructure is in decline. How do we prioritize work projects? Where will the funding for these projects come from? How do we educate the public about the importance of maintaining our infrastructure? What is our responsibility as citizens? During the Great Depression government-funded work projects helped stimulate the economy by focusing on infrastructure: Is this a feasible direction for the U.S. to move in, in view of the current economic crisis and a new President?

Panel members include Ethan P. Seltzer, Ph D, Professor of Urban Studies and Planning at Portland State University; Sue Keil, Director of Portland’s Office of Transportation; Cameron Yourkowski, Transmission Policy Associate of the Renewable Northwest Project; and an engineer from Portland’s Water Bureau (TBA). Panel members will discuss the history of infrastructure in the U.S., suggest methods for improving the system, and explain why investment in infrastructure is critical to preserving and improving our quality of life. Marnie Lonsdale, League member and former Storm-water Project Coordinator of the City of Duluth, Minnesota, will moderate the discussion.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government.

The League of Women Voters of Portland * 310 SW 4th Avenue, Suite 520 * Portland, OR 97204 * 503-228-1675 * [email protected] * www.lwvpdx.org