Stimulus Raises Hopes – and Questions
March brought exciting news about stimulus funding at both the federal and state levels. The American Rescue Plan (ARP; see ICMA’s helpful summary) includes $350 billion in direct aid for government entities nationwide, while the Colorado Recovery Plan (CRP) proposes investing $700M across the state. From a smart cities standpoint, infrastructure (including transportation, water, sewer, and broadband) seems to be a focal point of both packages. The optimism of coming relief comes with a healthy degree of uncertainty, however – guidance on ARP is being awaited from the federal level even as the first half of funding is set for release within two months, and specific legislation to implement the CRP is yet to be introduced. The Alliance continues to follow these developments as they unfold, and hopes to offer further insight into what they mean for smart cities in Colorado when a clearer picture emerges.
In the meantime, here’s some sage advice – including cooperating regionally and investing in technology – from a former Mayor via our friends at Emerging Local Government Leaders.
Infusion for Infrastructure
President Biden on recently released a $2+ trillion infrastructure investment proposal that prioritizes transportation (roadways, bridges, public transit, and vehicle electrification), clean energy and grid modernization, affordable housing, water, and broadband with an eye toward equity and resiliency. All of these themes touch on smarter development, and many are focused on various digital infrastructure elements that smart cities have been prioritizing for years.
The main takeaway is that funding will be available to communities for investment in smarter infrastructure, and if your community isn’t ready with a plan for what to do, how to do it, or just need help, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Alliance! We can advise, consult or point you in the direction of expert peers ready to make sure Colorado comes out of this pandemic smarter than it entered 🙂
