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Episode 1 of the Voice of Construction Podcast is Live!

By Eddie Sprecco, CEO

Yes! WE have launched a podcast, The Voice of Construction, based on our long time slogan of AGC being the voice of the construction industry.

Why a podcast? We understand that a lot of people in the industry spend more time in their vehicles than in front of their computers reading newsletters and emails.  We want to make today’s industry information easily accessible in a useful, but (hopefully) entertaining format. Plus, I have been told I have a good face for radio!

Every other week, we will be covering the weekly Monday Morning Quarterback, but also adding commentary, in-depth interviews, and featured segments like AGC in the Community and Punchlist the News, where we break down construction industry news coverage and say what they got right and what they missed.

The Voice of Construction is sure to evolve and grow, and we need your input on both fronts.  

First, if you have any topics you would like covered or feedback on content, please email podcast@agcsd.org.  

Second, like, subscribe, and follow Voice of Construction wherever you get your podcast.

Apple: https://tinyurl.com/cay8facv

Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/2abm2awp

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/voice-of-construction

Want a sneak peek into our first episode? From PLAs to federal DBE updates to Prop 50, we get you in-the-know on all the things we're keeping our eyes on this quarter. You'll also hear about how we were out in the community this month, how to vote for our apprenticeship program to get recognized for their work in the community, how we can highlight member achievements, and how we can move the industry forward with advocacy, leadership, and teamwork. Check it out now!

No on 50

By Dustin Steiner, Vice President, Government Affairs

While out driving, I saw a No on 50 sign with the tagline “Defend Fair Elections,” and it got me thinking…what is a fair election? Gerrymandering (explained in detail in our August 25 MMQB) or drawing districts to gain a favorable advantage in voter registration is as old as our republic. Do we have fair elections now? In 2024, 38% of Californians voted for President Donald Trump, but currently only 17% of the state’s 52 congressional seats are held by a Republican. In the State Legislature, Republicans fare slightly better but still hold only 25% of seats in both houses. Texas Republicans, whom Governor Newsom has charged with starting this political fight (in addition to Trump), are on the opposite side of the spectrum and are attempting to add to their 66% congressional market share, where Trump won 56% of the vote. If their latest map passes, they are likely to pick up five additional seats and increase this percentage to nearly 80%. As a reminder, there are 435 House seats in the country, and they are generally reapportioned every 10 years following the census.

So, what’s fair? California voters have consistently supported “fairness” measures, including open primaries and so-called independent commissions to draw lines, but is it fair that 38% of voters are represented by 17% of elected officials? Is that what the Founding Fathers intended? New England has six states represented by 21 congressmembers. All 21 are Democrats. Are there no Republican voters in all of New England? In Florida, 43% of voters supported Kamala Harris, but claimed only 28% of House seats there.

As a longtime political staffer, I believe we should have competitive seats – that you should have to outwork your opponent and win the battle of ideas, not just have the proper party affiliation next to your name. But we also have a disturbing trend where the narrative outpaces the reality. In this case, I’m not sure it’s fair to say we have fair elections now. However, that becomes the new baseline. That if you vote no on 50, you are somehow defending a system in which 38% of voters are represented by 17% of the congressional delegation. And, if you vote yes? The majority party adds five seats, pushing Democrats to hold 48 of the 52, or 92% despite voters supporting Harris at 59% in 2024.

Make no mistake about it. None of this is about fairness. It’s about political power – plain and simple. Trump wants to win midterms to solidify it during his final two years in office, and Newsom is lining up the dominoes for his presumptive presidential run in 2028. 

The San Diego Union Tribune Editorial Board did a nice job spelling it out in their recent article, which you can find here: No on Prop. 50: Copying Trump’s bullying to gain power normalizes it – San Diego Union-Tribune.

As the old saying goes, "Two wrongs don’t make a right." Join AGC’s Board of Directors and vote NO on Prop 50.

Time to Get Back to Work - Get America Building Again

By Mike McManus, Director of Engineering Construction & Industry Relations

In July, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, with some fanfare, kicked off the reauthorization of the Surface Transportation Act at an event dubbed, Get America Building Again. Yes, it is that time again. The Surface Transportation Act needs to be reauthorized to keep money flowing for road and public transit construction projects. However, with the government shutdown, this important process is now stalled.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) has significantly impacted surface transportation in the U.S. by providing substantial funding and reauthorizing key programs through 2026. The IIJA, signed into law in November 2021, allocates $1.2 trillion for various infrastructure projects, with a significant portion dedicated to surface transportation. This included a five-year reauthorization of federal highway, transit, and rail programs, ensuring long-term funding and support for state and local transportation initiatives.  Next September, that reauthorization is set to expire.

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee was actively holding hearings after the Secretary Duffy event to gather information and prepare for future reauthorization efforts. This dialogue is essential for shaping the next phase of surface transportation funding and policy in the U.S. The dialogue is suspended now as Congress has largely gone home. It seems likely that Congress will have to address some glaring policy issues that have been ignored for several decades.

The first is the state of the Highway Trust Fund (HTF). The HTF has been on the brink of insolvency for years. The last time the federal gas tax was raised was in the 1990s. Inflation has rendered it incapable of keeping up funding levels that meet the nation’s infrastructure maintenance and mobility needs. Congress has been printing money and adding to the national debt every year to keep the necessary infrastructure money flowing to the states. That needs to stop. Job one for Congress is to raise the federal gas tax and other fees to a level that will fund the nation’s needs and then index the tax against inflation.

But beyond that, there also needs to be an effort to slowly phase in another user fee, such as a road charge, to backfill lost gas tax revenue in the future due to the phase-in of electric vehicles. Other things that should be considered are to first enhance Transportation Infrastructure Finance & Innovation Act (TIFIA), strengthening the TIFIA  program by raising assistance to 49% for all creditworthy projects and streamlining the application processes.



Another revenue source could be added by lifting the federal ban on interstate tolling. Provide states the flexibility to fund improvements in critical corridors, with strict requirements; this will ensure the toll revenues are reinvested to improve, maintain, or expand the tolled facility.

The next reauthorization should also tackle environmental streamlining. The National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) was put in place to protect the environment while building the national interstate highway system. The reality of today is that most projects are built within existing rights of way. This should mean that a much lower and less costly federal involvement should be considered to expedite project delivery and the construction of needed infrastructure.

It’s time for the federal government to delegate more authority to the states and hold them accountable through mechanisms like periodic audits instead of requiring extensive multi-agency reviews on projects across the country.

It is also time to get back to Washington and get back to work.    

Installation is Incoming: Nominate a Firm That Makes AGC Look Good!

From the Affiliate Members' Council & the Specialty Contractors' Council

Each year, our councils present awards in the categories below to acknowledge member companies and individuals who strive to be the very best they can be in the ever-challenging construction industry.

Qualifications for an AGC member award include:

• Involvement, support, and promotion of the AGC San Diego Chapter
• Active membership on an AGC committee
• Demonstration of honest, ethical business practices
• Exemplification of the AGC motto of skill, integrity, and responsibility

Here are the categories:



• Excellence in Marketing - The Excellence in Marketing Award is presented to the company that best exemplifies promoting the value of AGC Membership and participation within their company and to potential members. Additionally, the company promotes the value of utilizing AGC Contractors to elected officials, the community at large, and clients or potential clients.  

• Good Business Award - The Good Business Award is presented to the General or Specialty Contractor who best exemplifies the AGC motto, "It's Good Business to do Business with an AGC Member." The company selected has an open-door policy for AGC Members to have the opportunity to make their pitch, make payments to subcontractors and suppliers on time, and is active in the AGC San Diego. 

• Affiliate of the Year Award (Company, Individual) - The Affiliate Council awards the Affiliate of the Year Award to an individual and a firm that exemplifies the AGC motto of Skill, Integrity, and Responsibility, strongly supports the role of Affiliates within the AGC, and actively promotes the AGC through committee involvement and participation in AGC events. 

• Rookie of the Year Award (Affiliate) - This award will be presented on an exceptional basis and will not necessarily be presented every year. The Rookie of the Year Award is selected from members who have been actively involved with the AGC within the first 2 years of their membership, serving on committee meetings and participating in and attending member functions & events. 

Here are the categories for Specialty:

• Construction Industry Excellence Award - This award recognizes a company that demonstrates the highest level of integrity and ethics in its business practice, and that goes beyond the norm with its commitment to supporting the AGC, the construction industry, and the community. This award is presented to a company that has earned a prominent level of respect among its peers, customers, vendors, and subcontractors.

• Construction Industry Professional Award - This award will recognize an individual’s professional performance and achievements, and their dedicated support of the AGC by committee involvement and participation. This award is given to an individual who goes above and beyond the normal expectations of their company in their efforts to support the industry and the members of the AGC.

• Construction Industry Leadership Award - This award will recognize an individual’s leadership by championing, participating, and supporting the AGC through their association involvement, attendance at events, and committee participation. They are a strong promoter of the AGC within the construction industry, both public and private. They actively support the construction industry and the community as a whole. They lead by example and expect their company’s management and staff to do the same.

Vote today and make it count! Send us an email here.

Last Chance to Vote for AGC Apprenticeship for the Local VALOR Award!

Vote for AGC Apprenticeship to win the Veterans Award Luncheon of Recognition (VALOR) Veteran Friendly Business of the Year award. 

In support of our apprenticeship program and facility in our headquarters office, AGC San Diego Chapter encourages you to vote in appreciation of the ways in which our apprenticeship team supports veteran inclusion in our workforce through veteran-focused training programs, industry connections, a commitment to career growth, and strong veteran employment. 

Voting closes Saturday! Cast your vote now!

Only a Couple Days Left: Donate Non-Perishables by October 30

From the Build & Serve Charitable Alliance

Help us provide donations for Support the Enlisted Project (STEP) as part of its Thanksgiving Dinner Program for local military families facing financial hardship. We provide all the fixings, and STEP provides the turkeys so these families can enjoy a memorable Thanksgiving dinner.

AGC is collecting non-perishable Thanksgiving dinner items to support this effort. Please deliver items to one of our four locations by Thursday, October 30:



Erickson-Hall Construction Co. - Escondido

Sundt Construction - Mission Valley

AGC - Sorrento Valley

AGC - Lakeside

See the flyer for the drop-off locations and requested items.

2025

October 28 - Build San Diego Awards - Marriott Marquis - San Diego Marina

November 4 - Get to Know AGC SD - AGC HQ

December 6 - Christmas in Coronado - Hotel Del Coronado (early bird ends Oct. 31)

NOVEMBER MEETINGS

November 5 - 7:00 AM - Safety Committee - Lakeside

November 5 - Noon - Workforce Development Committee - Lakeside

November 6 - 11:30 AM - Specialty Contractors’ Council - Lakeside

November 12 - 7:30 AM - Build & Serve Charitable Alliance - Virtual

November 12 - 1:00 PM - County of San Diego @ County Operations Center

November 13 - 11:30 AM - HR Practices - Lakeside

November 20 - 9:00 AM - City of San Diego @ City Offices

November 21 - 11:00 AM - Construction Technology Committee - Virtual

About Monday Morning Quarterback

AGC San Diego Chapter's Monday Morning Quarterback is a "hot off the press" and to the point Monday morning briefing on the important issues facing San Diego's construction industry. It is prepared by AGC Chief Executive Officer, Eddie Sprecco, and Vice President Government & Industry Relations, Dustin Steiner.

Please contact Eddie Sprecco or Dustin Steiner with your comments, or with information that should be conveyed to the industry through this service. Well over 3,000 individuals employed by AGC member firms are part of this system.

AGC San Diego Chapter, Inc.

The VOICE of Construction

(858) 558-7444

agcsd.org

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