OOIDA Call to Action – Pennsylvania Members
June 28, 2007

Attention: Pennsylvania truckers! A $700 million transportation-funding package approved Wednesday, June 27, in the Pennsylvania House calls for placing tolls on Interstate 80. Take time now to speak out against tolling our highways.

The bill – HB1590 – would also authorize a study of putting tolls on Interstate 95 and bonding the Pennsylvania Turnpike, among other things.

The Democratic-led House voted 105-96 mostly along party lines, to advance the bill intended to raise money for roads, bridges and mass transit. It now heads to the Senate where Republicans hold the majority and hopefully a different perspective.

Supporters of the House-approved plan say tolling along I-80 would be set up to eliminate or minimize fees for local drivers by building collection sites at New Jersey and Ohio borders. However, the bill doesn’t specify how that would work.

Rep. Richard Grucela, D-Northampton, said he supported the bill because it is the lesser of evils to generate revenue for transportation. He said he is opposed to turnpike privatization or a fuel tax increase.

Opponents, say the plan to toll the 313-mile east-west route likely would be challenged as unconstitutional.

Please take time now to contact your state senator and speak out against tolling Pennsylvania’s highways. While there is no doubt state lawmakers can make the argument for needing more transportation dollars, one of the biggest reasons for the shortfall in transportation funding is the large amount of money Gov. Ed Rendell has diverted to mass transit. Any serious discussion on transportation funding must include the need to stop diversion of transportation dollars to mass transit.

Click here to find your senator’s contact information.