September 2007

Craig Mongeau - September 2007

In the movie, “Dave,” Kevin Kline poses as the president of the United States while the real president, who happens to look just like him, lies gravely ill in a secluded bunker beneath the White House. As Dave, the fake president, begins to believe he can actually do the job he meets with his accountant to find ways to cut from the budget to save a children’s shelter. It’s Hollywood, so of course it’s rescued. We need life to imitate art right now.

In the aftermath of the Aug. 1 bridge collapse in Minnesota, the public discourse has at last centered on our nation’s aging infrastructure. Some experts are using this political momentum to recommend that we increase the gas tax to fund these projects.

I brought up the “Dave” reference because surely there must already be enough money in the budget to fund infrastructure upgrades without raising taxes. (Besides I thought that we were already paying for projects like these with our taxes.) I’m not an economist but I’ve seen that we’ve historically borrowed money and spent ourselves into deficits anyway for a variety of programs, so what’s another really? At least by investing in our infrastructure, we create jobs and improve our national defense in the process. Know a good accountant?

Now onto other business. Summer is waning and Fall is waxing, which means one thing as far as we’re concerned — the 2007 N.Y.S. Highway & Public Works Expo. This year’s show will be held Oct. 17 at the usual gathering place — the New York State Fairground in Syracuse. Look in this issue for a little recap of last year’s show, and look in next month’s issue for complete exhibitor listings and more information about the rapidly approaching show. P