We need to redouble our efforts to get what the country’s economy needs passed into law, not just this year and next, but beyond, in the form of a stable source of revenue for the Trust Fund to fully fund the program.

Many policy makers are looking to various proposals to involve private capital to close the growing gap between the available tax revenues — especially at the federal level, but also, state and local taxes dedicated to transit — and what is needed, especially to maintain rail and bus systems adequately.

Most independent experts think that the stimulus spending has added at least one percentage point to economic growth in each of the last two quarters — not enough to create many new jobs, but a much better situation than the 18 months before.