A bipartisan task force made up of elected officials from across the country, calling itself The New Partnership on Infrastructure, has released a playbook for U.S. infrastructure, calling for local and federal governments to align their infrastructure investment efforts.

Titled America’s New Playbook for Infrastructure, the guide goes beyond a call for significant investment in the nation’s infrastructure, urging an overhaul of how infrastructure is financed by the federal government, according to a statement from the group.

The playbook states that for stimulus legislation to be most effective, the United States will need to overhaul how it funds infrastructure in the country by moving toward a system that incentivizes aligned local, state and federal investment. By empowering local governments with more autonomy, the group envisions infrastructure investments to be developed alongside national policy objectives.

In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, the playbook also urges that the United States must not only recover, but rebuild a stronger, more equitable and resilient nation. As a solution for doing this, the playbook advises a focus on accelerated development of transportation electrification, broadband and resilient water infrastructure, among other points.

“We have to keep investing now, both for the future and because so much of our economy is counting on local government to make these investments,” said Kate Gallego, mayor of Phoenix.

The organization was originally announced in February, when presidential candidates presented their infrastructure visions at a forum in Las Vegas. The partnership was retooled after the COVID-19 pandemic swept the nation.

To read more about the partnership or its playbook, go to this link: https://bit.ly/3hPtkFM.

Kali Persall is a reporter at Institutional Real Estate, Inc. and editor of iREOC Connect.