Letter: Feds could invest in local projects

The federal, state, county and local governments have been laying off employees and cutting back services. The State Legislature has approved a property tax cap that will bring even more layoffs.

Every layoff has a ripple effect, creating more unemployment. One approach the federal government should take to address our unemployment problem is to provide assistance to local governments to fix our infrastructure. Century-old water mains at the local level are breaking, underground drainage pipes are collapsing all over the nation, and many of our bridges are structurally unsafe ["A bridge too far-gone," Editorial, July 24].

Local, county and state governments are not allocating adequate resources to correct this national problem, or appropriating the necessary funds needed to fix our potholes and decaying roads, or to maintain older government buildings. When elected officials are given a choice between cutting a popular recreation program or delaying a repair job, which do you think will be cut?

I'm also afraid that the budget problems will result in our rail service going backward, to the days when it was not reliable.

The ripple impact of a national infrastructure-maintenance program would be enormous on job creation. Architects, engineers, secretaries, lawyers, contractors would be hired. This is what is needed during this great recession.

Paul Feiner, Greenburgh

Editor's note: The writer is Greenburgh, N.Y., town supervisor.