Trump Budget Proposals Slash Federal Infrastructure Programs Serving America’s Poor

Details of the Trump administration budget proposals reveal attacks on infrastructure investments providing the greatest help to poor and inner city citizens, slashing funding for rapid transit, Amtrak, and rural water and wastewater programs. While the president promised a ten year, trillion dollar infrastructure investment during the campaign, his budget proposals and recent agency actions reveal targeted attacks on America’s poor.

Already, under Trump’s leadership, the Federal Transit Administration has deferred a decision on the grant application for $647 million for electrification of commuter rail on the San Francisco Peninsula. Trump’s 53 page budget “blueprint” kills TIGER grants for rail and transit projects, and completely ends funding for Amtrak long distance services. The proposal bans all funding for public transit projects not already under full finding grant agreements with USDOT. Finally the entire $498 million budget for Department of Agriculture drinking water and wastewater grants and loans, which assist rural local governments in providing clean water to farms and small towns, would be entirely eliminated.

It seems the President’s touted $1 trillion, ten year investment in highways and airports for those citizens who can afford their own cars and plane tickets will be financed on the backs of the rural and inner city citizens whose infrastructure facilities already receive a D- grade from industry groups.