Pit & Quarry, February 2011

States and the union I n his State of the Union the president addressed the nations need for infrastructure improvements and it was nice to hear We will put more Americans to work repairing crumbling roads and bridges President Obama said We will make sure this is fully paid for attract private investment and pick projects based on whats best for the economy not politicians he added According to Dennis Slater president of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers it was the first time in more than a decade that a president addressed Americas broken transportation system in a State of the Union Slater says Americas manufacturers now look to Congress to pass a surface transportation bill Regarding such a bill the National Stone Sand Gravel Association NSSGA reports that House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica R Fla wants a robust multi year not less than six transportation bill and he says a shorter bill will not suffice Mica also says the drop dead date for finalizing a bill is the end of this fiscal year before presidential politics takes over While a large bill by years end sounds great it might be easier said than done According to NSSGA the House Republican Study Committee a conservative Republican House caucus proposes a plan to cut federal spending by 25 trillion over the next 10 years The committees plan would impose caps for non defense discretionary spending at FY 2006 levels through 2021 If this were to happen NSSGA says transportation spending could not be increased above 2006 levels without forcing other non defense discretionary programs below FY 2006 levels And dont look to the states to fund infrastructure improvements States have their own financial problems Big problems And thats a topic for another editorial Perhaps the answer is private investment which the president says the government will seek to attract Irik Sevin a partner with VantaCore attended our annual roundtable event last year in Nashville Tenn and perhaps he put it best Whether or not a highway bill gets passed is not going to either save or condemn our industry Business has to get better and the economy has to get better and there needs to be demand from the residential and commercial side Hopefully well see more of that demand in 2011 Darren Constantino Editor in ChiEf dconstantino@ questex com www pitandquarry com 600 Superior Ave East Suite 1100 Cleveland oh 44114 216 706 3700 fax 216 706 3710 E Mail info@ pitandquarry com Editor in ChiEf Darren Constantino 216 706 3747 dconstantino@ questex com SEnior Editor Brian Richesson 216 706 3748 brichesson@ questex com SAfEtY Editor Carl R Metzgar cmetz46840@ aol com LAW Editor Michael T Heenan michael heenan@ odnss com WEStErn U S CorrESPondEnt Bill Elverman elvermanwrites@ yahoo com ViCE PrESidEnt i S GroUP Kevin Stoltman 800 669 1668 ext 3740 kstoltman@ questex com Print ELECtroniC AdVErtiSinG PUBLiShEr Rob Fulop 216 706 3741 rfulop@ questex com SALES MAnAGEr Dino Vitanza 216 706 3744 dvitanza@ questex com CLASSifiEd AdVErtiSinG SALES MAnAGEr Dino Vitanza 216 706 3744 dvitanza@ questex com Art dirECtor Kim Traum ProdUCtion MAnAGEr Krystal Lund 218 279 8841 klund@ questex com dirECtorY ProdUCtion MAnAGEr Angela Dumonson 218 279 8845 adumonson@ questex com ProdUCtion dirECtor Rhonda Sande MAnAGEr AUdiEnCE dEVELoPMEnt Debbie Gullian LiStS Ilene Schwartz Kroll direct 216 371 1667 fax 216 371 1669 ilene@ krolldirect com rEPrintS 800 290 5460 ext 100 pitandquarry@ theygsgroup com SUBSCriPtionS BACK iSSUES CUStoMEr SErViCE Phone 866 344 1315 or 847 763 9594 if outside the U S Fax 847 763 9694 Web www pitandquarry com subscriptions President Chief Executive officer Kerry C Gumas Executive Vice President Chief financial officer Tom Caridi Executive Vice President Tony DAvino Executive Vice President Gideon Dean it was the first time in more than a decade that a president addressed americas broken transportation system in a state of the Union address 4 Pit QUArrY february 2011 www pitandquarry com