Advocates will explore the impact of their governor’s involvement in the state transportation funding debate during a free May 3 webinar hosted by ARTBA’s Transportation Investment Advocacy Center™ (TIAC).

Anthony Attanasio, executive director of Utility and Transportation Contractors Association of New Jersey, has been added to the lineup of expert speakers. He will discuss the challenges of campaigning for a transportation funding increase while Gov. Chris Christie (R) ran for his party’s presidential nomination. Without new revenue, New Jersey’s Transportation Trust Fund could become insolvent by June 30.

Other speakers will compare the challenges of running campaigns in states where governors are either for or against increasing revenue for roads and bridges, and the best practices they share will help other transportation advocates facing similar circumstances.  The session will also feature:

Mike Nystrom, executive vice president/secretary of the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association. He will explore how the support of Gov. Rick Snyder (R) enabled his state to pass a package of bills that will increase state motor fuel taxes, raise registration fees by 20 percent, and create a new annual fee for electric-powered motor vehicles for $1.2 billion per year once fully implemented.

Josh Moenning, executive director of 4 Lanes 4 Nebraska. Moenning will discuss how his state overturned Gov. Pete Rickett’s (R) veto in order to increase the state gas tax, and 2016 legislative action to accelerate capital improvement projects.

The Transportation Investment Advocacy Center™ is an internet-based educational platform that features detailed reports, analyses and case studies of recent transportation funding campaigns—both successful and unsuccessful—mounted in numerous states. It includes television, radio and print ads, polling, an overview of state and local funding and finance mechanisms, and an ongoing blog detailing new developments across the nation. The Center’s program of work is also guided by the Transportation Investment Advocates Council, a national network of business professionals and public officials who share a common interest in building support for transportation infrastructure investments in their state or local community.

Please contact Carolyn Kramer at ckramer@artba.org with any questions. Register for the free webinar, which begins May 3 at 3:30 p.m., Eastern.