The decision about how to spend the money falls largely to state governments, raising questions about whether the package can live up to its ambition.
Originally published in the New York Times, November 16, 2021
Allendale Strong’s own Dorothy Wiley is interviewed and pictured in this article. A few excerpts…
“It’s hard to have a national approach when the decisions are made state by state,” said Beth Osborne, who was an acting assistant secretary in the Transportation Department during the Obama administration. “A fundamental part of this program has always been to have the feds raise money, hand it over to the states and cross our fingers.”
Dorothy Wiley, whose Louisiana home sits in the path of a proposed highway expansion, said that while she was encouraged by the president’s pledges for racial equity, she was worried the federal government has limited say over the spending.