Opinion: Building on Occupy call

If you’ve walked by City Hall recently (or turned on the local news), you’ve seen and heard the protesters labeled “Occupy Philadelphia.”

What started as a movement on Wall Street has moved to various cities throughout the country.

Protesters have expressed everything from eliminating the Federal Reserve to nationalizing the banking system. Many students are demanding lower tuition, room and board, while others want to bring our soldiers home from overseas.

One protester sign in particular, however caught my attention. It read something like: “Support funding for our crumbling infrastructure.” Now that’s a movement I can get behind.

Pennsylvania’s infrastructure is aging significantly due to decades of underinvestment. Roadways, bridges, transit, aviation and ports have all suffered from insufficient funding, creating significant maintenance backlogs.

Addressing these issues now will jump-start our economy and provide long-term benefits to our regional economic competitiveness. I am hopeful that the governor and General Assembly will work cooperatively this fall to make these much-needed investments.

-Rob Wonderling is president and chief executive of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce

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