One of the proposed budget cuts by the Trump administration could threaten the Valley rail projects, which began operation back in December of 2008.

The federal government has already invested $75 million to the project and the proposed cuts could disrupt the economic development that entails investments in transit infrastructure.

Valley Metro CEO Scott Smith stated, “We are now close to $9 billion in real estate activity within a half-mile radius of the light rail corridor in just eight years.”

These rollbacks jeopardize the Federal Transit Authority Capital Investment Program and other grant programs that would expand the outer reaches of the light rail system and a streetcar system in Tempe.

Dick White, president of the American Public Transportation Association said, “Nationally, the cuts could put 800,000 jobs at risk, put $90 billion in economic output in the balance and halt progress on 50 transit programs with decades of planning and tens of billions of dollars already invested.”

Infrastructure policy analyst Michael Sargent of the Heritage Foundation said federal grants encourage local governments to come up with flashy, wasteful systems. “Most federally funded transit systems are flat-out unnecessary and the ones that are necessary often exceed budget, fail to meet projected ridership and have extra costs.”

Opponents of federal investment in mass transit often point to the one sided benefits for those living in urban areas. Academics tend to agree with transit officials, that cutting federal investment would have a negative effect on local economies and stifle economic development in the metropolitan areas.

“When I look at the conservative side of what government does, it should be limited, but it should also be smart,” Smith said. “Public transit is both limited and smart. Investment in capital projects is like honey that attracts private investment bees, and they do it in swarms.”