Fix our infrastructure? The answer is funding

To the editor:

Your recent article about the drop-off in public-funded construction projects (“With reduced spending at all government levels, public sector construction stagnates,” Nov. 15-28 NHBR), confirms what we have been seeing at Eckman Construction, a firm that has always focused on those large public projects. As a business development guy scouring the New Hampshire landscape, turning over rocks in search of construction projects to pursue, it is somewhat comforting to know that I'm not the only one facing these challenges.

It really all comes down to funding – at the federal, state and municipal levels. Our elected officials need to understand that our infrastructure is failing and these problems are only going to grow, as will the cost to fix them, by kicking the can down the road. Thanks for shining a light on this and I hope that NHBR will continue to report on this new troubling trend.

I would suggest a deep dive into the school construction state aid situation. There are schools across New Hampshire that need major work, and it is far too much to ask the residents of these (mostly) small towns to bear the tax burden without any meaningful state contribution. Much is made of the "graying of New Hampshire" and the "silver tsunami," and as a young professional I too worry that we are not making our communities welcoming to young families.

We attend a lot of bond vote hearings, and I'm always shocked by the number of people that get up and publicly state that a school that was fine for their kids 20 years ago should be fine for today's students. I believe the crumbling educational infrastructure is the next major threat to our state's future workforce.

Preston Hunter
Director of Business Development
Eckman Construction

Bedford