Today, SIFMA issued a statement from Michael Decker, managing director and co-head of SIFMA’s Municipal Division, on the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 2017 Infrastructure Report Card: “While showing some incremental progress towards improving our nation’s infrastructure since the 2013 ASCE Report Card, the 2017 Report Card clearly shows the desperate need for a strong commitment to infrastructure investment, which will help spur job creation and economic growth. SIFMA strongly advocates that the tax exemption for municipal bond interest remain intact, so that it may continue to help America’s cities and states boost their local economies through the construction of new projects such as roads, hospitals and schools.” Michael Decker also noted the importance of public-private partnerships as a key component of any plan, as they ease the burden on the cash-strapped federal government.