LANSING ? Gov. Jennifer Granholm joined with 12 other governors, both Democrats and Republicans, in calling for the federal government to accelerate spending on improving the nation’s infrastructure ? creating federal public works jobs.

So far, however, President George Bush has not indicated his support for calling for an accelerated infrastructure program. His press spokesperson said the administration is backing the stimulus program that was signed into law earlier this month, but that Bush would look at other proposals offered by the governors.

Granholm joined on as a supporter of the Building America’s Future coalition, which was formed last month and includes New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg among its supporters.

The proposal has come up during the annual winter meeting of the National Governors Association, which ended Monday, in Washington, D.C.

The proposal is seen as a more effective way of actually creating new jobs more quickly than the enacted stimulus program. Officials argue the stimulus program, which will provide tax credits to individuals and families, would take more time for funds to move through the economy and boost employment, while an infrastructure program would move money directly into construction.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, is among the supporters of the infrastructure program, saying that the government owed it to the public to rebuild many of the crumbling structures in the nation.

Governor Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania, a Democrat, said the U.S. Department of Transportation told NGA members on Sunday that tens of billions of dollars in projects had already met engineering, architectural and environmental requirements and needed only the money released to proceed.

NGA Chair Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, a Republican, said he was less certain an infrastructure program would provide much in the way of a short-term economic boost.

It could have an effect in the “intermediate term,” he said, because it would take time for projects to begin once they were approved.

It was the collapse of a major highway bridge in Minnesota last summer, killing several dozen people, that led to many officials calling for the states and federal government to do more on infrastructure construction.

Granholm has already called for some state transportation projects, now scheduled for construction in 2010 and 2011, to be built this year as a way of helping boost the state’s economy.

A national program could provide further funds for more projects, especially at a time when across the state the extended number of freeze/thaw cycles this winter has created a bumper crop of potholes on the roads.

Transportation and road construction organizations have called for several years for the state to boost transportation taxes, either by increasing the fuels tax or making changes to the state’s registration tax, to help finance more construction and repairs.

Granholm has opposed raising transportation taxes at this time, and Mike Nystrom, vice president for government operations at the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association, said talks with dozens of lawmakers shows no interest at this time to move a tax proposal.

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