An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure.

Keston Institute March 6, 2008 Conference in Sacramento to Address California's Infrastructure Crisis and Possible Cures for the Serious Funding Problems Afflicting the State

LOS ANGELES & SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The Keston Institute for Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy at the University of Southern California announced a day-long conference titled, "Paying for Tomorrow's Infrastructure: Options and Strategies for Sustainable Financing." The conference will feature straight talk from leading infrastructure experts and policy makers regarding the challenges and possible solutions to California's infrastructure funding situation.

Scheduled to take place at Sacramento's Sheraton Grand Hotel on March 6, 2008, from 8 am - 4 pm, the conference will feature keynotes from California State Treasurer Bill Lockyer and David Crane, Special Advisor for Jobs and Growth to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The conference will have four major sessions, followed by an open discussion moderated by Michael A. Pagano, Professor of Public Administration and Fellow of the Great Cities Institute at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

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"California needs sustainable and reliable funding for infrastructure to ensure a healthy and prosperous future," said Richard G. Little, Director of the Keston Institute for Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy at the University of Southern California. "The strains stretching California's too-long ignored infrastructure to the point of snapping are enormous. If we have learned anything from history, it is that functional, efficient, and well-maintained infrastructure supports environmental quality, public health, and economic prosperity - therefore an investment today will pay dividends in the future."

This event is free of charge. To reserve a seat, please RSVP to Louise Nelson Dyble at: [phone] or via email at: [e-mail].

About The Keston Institute

The Keston Institute for Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy at the University of Southern California is a non-partisan research center that actively addresses California and the nation's public finance and infrastructure challenges. It is specifically focused on regional and national transportation and water issues and promoting economic viability, livability and environmental sustainability.

The University of Southern California (USC), which houses The Institute within its School of Public Policy, Planning and Development (SPPD), whose faculty collectively ranks third at USC in terms of per capita research grants, is one of the nation's leading research facilities for issues relating to public finance and infrastructure finance in the nation.

Together with the Keston Institute, the USC School of Policy, Planning and Development, has created the only educational and policy degree track in the field of civil infrastructure, with the goal of making USC a world leader in infrastructure and policy development.

The Institute's ongoing research is exclusively focused on analyzing core infrastructure challenges facing California and the nation, while presenting realistic, objective recommendations to voters and policymakers. For more information about The Keston Institute, please visit http://www.usc.edu/keston.