Harrisburg – Senator Lisa Baker issued the following statement regarding
the Special Session on Transportation:
"Our area has its share of pressing transportation needs, several
of which Governor Rendell cited in his speech. Without question, poor
roads and deficient bridges are a hazard, from a safety standpoint and
an economic standpoint.
It seems clear that the time Pennsylvania wasted chasing after the
false hope of tolling I-80 has come with a high cost. What a few years
ago was a substantial shortfall has become a much more serious problem
in transportation funding.
Just as is the case with the state budget, the first concentration
should be on finding ways to cut costs and capture efficiencies in
operations. The special session will be a failure from the taxpayer
interest if more spending is the only subject discussed.
Still, the push from state officials and interest groups will be
for more revenue. There are two major issues tied up in this aspect of
the debate – how to fairly develop additional revenue, and how to fairly
distribute it across Pennsylvania’s regions and types of
transportation.
With the economy still struggling, the traditional transportation
funding fixes, such as higher gas taxes, increased fees, and even higher
Turnpike tolls, would be economically irresponsible and publicly
insupportable.
A hard look has to be taken at creative solutions, such as
encouraging public-private partnerships, and a fresh look at ensuring
accountability from SEPTA.
Disagreements over how best to generate funding and produce cost
savings may be difficult to bridge, especially if the short-sighted
regionalism that imposed Act 44 on us has not dissipated."
