9/21/10-A leading Republican lawmaker has introduced a legislative package that is intended to provide a shot in the arm as the state looks for ways to address the $3.5 billion a year needed to meet road funding needs.
The state must cope with fewer dollars available for transportation work after the Federal Highway Administration earlier this year rejected the state’s application to privatize Interstate 80. As a result various funding methods are being tossed around by lawmakers as they look to see if anything will stick.
Rep. Rick Geist of Altoona is the minority chairman of the state House Transportation Committee. He introduced an 11-point plan on Monday, Sept. 20, to counter the state’s transportation funding crisis.
The bill package includes partnering with private groups to get projects complete, authorizing the Commonwealth to apply for permission to toll portions of Interstate 95, more local responsibility for transit projects and phasing out expenditures for the motor license fund to the State Police budget.
The GOP plan unveiled by Geist was introduced a week after House Appropriations Committee chairman Dwight Evans, D-Philadelphia, revealed his proposal to address the funding crunch. The Democratic plan relies on levying an 8 percent oil company profits tax; increasing the oil franchise tax; and boosting about 60 driver’s license, registration and vehicle fees.
While some Pennsylvania lawmakers are scrambling to plug gaping holes in the transportation budget before Election Day, OOIDA Director of Legislative Affairs Mike Joyce said it is vital that the state first take steps to ensure the revenue already coming in is used for its intended purpose.
“It starts with a responsible use of the resources they already have,” Joyce said.
With the November elections looming and a new governor taking office in January some lawmakers want to hold off on addressing any long-term solutions until after the first of the year.
Geist said lawmakers cannot afford to wait to solve this issue.
“Rebuilding an aging and deteriorating transportation infrastructure in Pennsylvania has to be priority one, and now is the time to act,” Geist said in a statement.

8/23/10-Gov. Ed Rendell made a last-ditch attempt Monday, Aug. 23, to convince Pennsylvania state lawmakers to do something about the state’s transportation funding crisis. The situation worsened early this year when the federal government denied a proposal to charge tolls on Interstate 80.
Rendell said the state needs more than $3 billion annually to meet the existing needs for repairs and improvements to roads, bridges and transit systems. He wants lawmakers to avoid waiting until a new governor is elected this fall.
Pennsylvania Transportation Secretary Allen Biehler on Monday addressed a joint, bipartisan meeting of the House and Senate to outline two options that could be implemented this fall and in place by the first of the year. Touted as being able to raise nearly $1 billion in the first full fiscal year, the measures would implement an oil company profits, and increase about 60 driver’s license fees.
“This much-needed infusion of money will help keep bridges and roads safe and smooth and create jobs and prosperity across Pennsylvania,” Biehler said.
In an effort to calm concerns among lawmakers that voters will frown on higher taxes, Rendell reiterated to legislators that Pennsylvania residents support higher taxes to make sure the state’s transportation system doesn’t continue to erode.
“Every month we delay, the cost of repairs goes up. The time for legislative action is now,” Rendell stated.
OOIDA Director of Legislative Affairs Mike Joyce said that before lawmakers go digging again into taxpayers pockets they need to show that revenues already available are not being squandered.
“It is incumbent upon elected officials to re-establish trust with taxpayers.” Joyce said the first step is to make sure revenues, such as fuel taxes, are being used in the way originally intended.
“Policymakers and lawmakers have too often broken promises. That is a big reason why they have not been able to win the favor of voters to increase fuel taxes over the years.”
Sen. Dominic Pileggi, R-Delaware, said during the meeting that lawmakers “don’t want a band-aid approach.” Any proposed fix needs to provide funding for many years.
With the fall elections looming and a new governor poised to take office in January, legislative leaders have indicated that any long-term solutions to fund transportation projects are likely to be delayed until next year.
One option that is expected to get consideration in the months ahead is charging tolls at the state’s border.

8/13/10-As Gov. Ed Rendell is calling for lawmakers to gather to discuss transportation funding, the Pennsylvania Transportation Commission has announced plans to cut spending by 24 percent.
The commission announced Thursday, Aug. 12, that the updated 12-year transportation program will have to make do with one-quarter less funding than was anticipated a year ago. Funding for roads, bridges, transit, rail and air improvements will all take a hit.
Effective Oct. 1, the new plan anticipates $51.6 billion being available during the next 12 years. The updated plan is well below the $67.9 billion outlined in the 2009 plan update.
The latest update to the 12-year program estimates $10.2 billion for roads and bridges during the first four years – $2 billion less than a year ago. Transit would get $6.3 billion – $1.2 billion less than a year ago – aviation is in line for $602 million and rail would get $228 million.
PennDOT Secretary Allen Biehler said that with uncertainty about federal funding, inflation and a lack of additional resources has “squeezed” the revised plan. To make matters worse, he said Congress has yet to enact a new six-year transportation authorization bill.
“Pennsylvania is falling far short of making the needed investments just to keep our system in a state of good repair,” Biehler said in a statement. “The reductions outlined in the new 12-year program are a dramatic example of where we are headed.”
Rendell is urging state lawmakers to return to Harrisburg Aug. 23 to hammer out a deal on transportation funding. The governor has said he would sign legislation sent to him that would boost the fuel tax and increase drivers’ fees.
Before Pennsylvania resorts to reaching deeper into the pockets of taxpayers, OOIDA Director of Legislative Affairs Mike Joyce said the state should first take steps to ensure the revenue already coming in is used for its intended purpose.
“It is vital that Pennsylvania take more cautious steps than in the past to address infrastructure needs. It starts with a responsible use of the resources they already have,” Joyce said.
With the fall elections looming and a new governor poised to take office in January, legislative leaders have indicated that any long-term solutions to fund transportation projects are likely to be delayed until next year.

7/20/10-Gov. Ed Rendell on Monday, July 19, called for Pennsylvania lawmakers to return from their summer break to hammer out a deal on transportation funding.
Desperate for action in the final months of his term, Rendell said he would sign legislation sent to him that would boost the fuel tax and increase drivers’ fees. Pennsylvania is confronted with a $470 million gap in the state transportation budget.
With the fall elections looming and a new governor poised to take office in January, however, legislative leaders have indicated that any long-term solutions to fund roads, bridges and transit are likely to be delayed until next year.
Backing off his support for tolling Interstate 80 and taxing oil company profits, Rendell said this week that increasing the fuel tax by 3.25 cents per gallon would be a good start to addressing the shortfall. Of particular interest to truckers, he wants large truck registrations to rise by as much as $122 to $2,109. Currently, the cost is $1,687.
Other fees pegged for an increase to reflect inflation include annual registration, driver’s licenses, vehicle titles and annual inspection stickers.
Pennsylvania has put itself in a pickle for transportation funding after the federal government refused to give the state permission to toll I-80. The Federal Highway Administration rejected the most recent proposal because if called for siphoning money from the interstate for other uses.
The Legislature isn’t scheduled to return to Harrisburg to address transportation until late September. Rendell said a Friday, Aug. 23, return date is critical to give lawmakers more time to approve the tax and fee increases, which are billed as the solution to close the funding gap.
Rendell claims that residents are willing to fork over more of their money for transportation projects. Addressing lawmakers this spring he assured them that “citizens understand that fees ... must be updated to keep pace with inflation.”
OOIDA Director of Legislative Affairs Mike Joyce said the governor is fooling himself.
“Citizens understand that state, local and federal government need to be accountable for the way they spend tax dollars,” Joyce said. “Part of the reason they are in this situation is because he put them there through mismanagement and redirecting money.”
Rendell is expected to testify at a Senate Transportation Committee hearing Wednesday, July 21, to discuss his plans. The panel is holding hearings to consider funding options.
“The testimony we receive will be important to crafting new policy and legislation intended to improve our transportation networks,” Senate Transportation Chairman John Rafferty, R-Chester, stated. “These hearings will provide us with a chance to hear from individuals and organizations that have expertise in all transportation areas and to find creative ways to do more with transportation in these tough economic times.”
Joyce said it is simply too much to expect lawmakers to come up with a solution to this issue as the calendar approaches November.
“Having the sea part and Republicans and Democrats singing kumbaya together and coming up with a solution is nil.”

5/12/10-Pennsylvania truckers and other residents will soon get their chance to speak out on how the state should address the transportation funding crisis. There are seven hearings beginning in late May that have been scheduled around the state.
In recent weeks Pennsylvania lawmakers have presented an abundance of options to help the state cope with a nearly $3.5 billion a year shortfall to maintain existing road, bridge and public transit. To make matters worse, the state budgeted $450 million in the transportation budget in hopes that federal authorities would sign off on leasing Interstate 80. In April, the feds refused to grant the state permission to go forward with their leasing plans.
“By holding these hearings across the state, we can explain what we need to bring our large and aging transportation infrastructure up to date,” House Transportation Chairman Joe Markosek, D-Monroeville, said in a statement. “This is one of the most pressing problems in Pennsylvania, and I hope to hear from people who have innovative ideas.
As I have said, all options are on the table.”
In addition to the House Transportation Committee, the House Majority Policy Committee and House Republican Policy Committee will participate in the hearings.
Rep. Rick Geist, the Republican chairman of the House Transportation Committee, said they are seeking a bipartisan solution.
The first hearing is scheduled for May 27 in Harrisburg. Other hearings are set for Lock Haven, Scranton, the Lehigh Valley and Clarion before concluding June 18 in the Monroeville/Pittsburgh area. For the complete schedule, click here.
Funding options brought up by lawmakers include implementing a toll at the border of each of the state’s interstates, phasing out the motor license fund expenditures to the State Police budget, and more local responsibility for transit projects. Gov. Ed Rendell has proposed increasing fuel taxes, boosting the driver’s license fee and truck registration fee, as well as trying for a fourth time to get federal permission to toll I-80.
Other lawmakers have stressed more accountability by the state for revenues already coming in. Rep. Jim Christiana, R-Beaver, said that rolling the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission into the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation “would go a long way in reducing the transportation funding shortfall.”
The governor opened a special session May 4 to address transportation funding.

5/6/10-Options presented to Pennsylvania lawmakers are in abundance as a special session to address the transportation funding crisis began this week.
Eyeing a $470 million gap in the state transportation budget, Gov. Ed Rendell went before lawmakers Tuesday, May 4, at the opening of the special session. He covered multiple options to address a long-term solution to funding roads, bridges and transit.
To make matters worse, the state Transportation Advisory Committee released updated numbers this week that Pennsylvania should increase spending by about $3.5 billion a year for “highway and transit needs that currently cannot be addressed.”
Rendell said lawmakers could tackle the short-term funding crisis by increasing fuel taxes by as much as 9 cents per gallon. Boosting the driver’s license fee and truck registration fees were also touted as options. Another option is toughening penalties for reckless or uninsured drivers.
The proposals didn’t end there. Rendell is once again pushing one of his more notorious plans – getting federal permission to toll Interstate 80. Hopeful that the fourth time would be the charm, the governor said another application to federal authorities would need to include an assurance that toll revenue from I-80 would not be diverted to transit projects.
The Federal Highway Administration rejected Pennsylvania’s most recent proposal because if called for siphoning money from the interstate for other uses.
During his prepared remarks Rendell told lawmakers “citizens understand that fees and tolls must be updated to keep pace with inflation.”
OOIDA Director of Legislative Affairs Mike Joyce said the governor couldn’t be more wrong.
“Citizens understand that state, local and federal government need to be accountable for the way they spend tax dollars,” Joyce said.
“Pennsylvania is in a ‘crisis’ as he calls it. Part of the reason they are in this situation is because he put them there through mismanagement and redirecting money.”
Undeterred by criticism, tolling Interstate 95 was another option presented by Rendell. But he wasn’t the only one this week to talk tolls.
Three Democratic lawmakers have offered a bill they say would raise at least $300 million a year by implementing a toll at the border of each of the state’s interstates. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation would collect toll revenue and earmark it for road and bridge improvements, as well as funding transit.
Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Centre, said it is an opportunity to help adequately fund many transportation needs without increasing taxes. The bill – HB2 – calls for motorists to pay $1 and commercial vehicles to pay $5 when crossing the border in or out of the state.
How soon transportation funding issues are taken up in coming months is uncertain. Senate Republican leader Dominic Pileggi of Delaware County said that the Senate’s first priority is state budget negotiations. Once lawmakers can solve that problem, he said their attention would turn to transportation.
In the meantime, House Transportation Chairman Joe Markosek of Monroeville said his panel would soon begin a series of public hearings around the state. The discussions are intended to get feedback on how to raise revenue for transportation.
“All options are on the table,” he said in a statement.
Don’t expect Rep. Jim Christiana, R-Beaver, to call for digging deeper into taxpayers’ pockets. He took issue with Rendell’s plea for lawmakers to hike taxes and fees, as well as add tolls. Christiana is calling for more accountability.
He said that rolling the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission into the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation “would go a long way in reducing the transportation funding shortfall.”
Rep. Brad Roae, R-Crawford, agreed with the need to get to work on solutions to the funding crisis. But he doesn’t share Rendell’s beliefs on how to reduce the gap.
“The focus should be on cutting wasteful spending and redirecting that money into road and bridge repairs. The focus should not be on raising taxes and fees,” Roae said in a statement.
OOIDA’s Joyce said that Roae hit the nail on the head.
“It is vital that the state first take steps to ensure the revenue already coming in is used for its intended purpose,” Joyce said. “It starts with a responsible use of the resources they already have.”

5/3/10-Confronted with a $470 million gap in the state transportation budget, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell will open a special session Tuesday, May 4, to address the crisis.
As Pennsylvania lawmakers start their scramble to plug gaping holes in the transportation budget, OOIDA Director of Legislative Affairs Mike Joyce said it is vital that the state first take steps to ensure the revenue already coming in is used for its intended purpose.
“It starts with a responsible use of the resources they already have,” Joyce said.
The state is searching for ways to cope with fewer dollars available for road and bridge work and aid to public transit after the Federal Highway Administration rejected the state’s application to privatize Interstate 80. Various funding methods are being tossed around by lawmakers as they look to see if anything will stick.
Without the benefit of tolls on I-80, various revenue enhancers are likely to get consideration. They include increasing the fuel tax rate by as much as 12 cents per gallon, boosting vehicle registration fees and license fees, and tweaking the oil company franchise tax.
Other options for discussion are likely to include real estate transfer taxes and rolling the Pennsylvania Turnpike into the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
Rendell has offered for consideration a gas-profits tax on oil companies and possibly revisiting an attempt to privatize of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The governor sought to lease all or parts of the roadway in 2007.
One leading lawmaker has rolled out various options. Rep. Rick Geist, the Republican chairman of the House Transportation Committee, is touting his 11 proposed solutions to boost transportation funding. They include public-private partnerships, tolls on Interstate 95, more local responsibility for transit projects and phasing out expenditures for the motor license fund to the State Police budget.
State transportation officials warn that not doing anything would result in repairing 300 fewer miles roads or fixing 100 fewer bridges annually.
While there is urgency to come up with solutions, there is no deadline for the Legislature to fill the funding gap. That could slow progress on the funding crisis. A looming election season could also delay various initiatives to raise money.
Joyce said the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association will be closely monitoring activities at the statehouse.

4/26/10-The ill-fated attempt to put tolls on Interstate 80 has spurred Pennsylvania lawmakers to pursue other methods to pay for transportation projects throughout the state.
Gov. Ed Rendell is expected to call a special session to begin May 4 to hash over possible solutions to help cope with the state’s $472 million shortfall of available funds for road and bridge work and public transit. There is greater urgency for the state to come up with additional revenue after the Federal Highway Administration rejected Pennsylvania’s application to privatize I-80.
Among the possible solutions that lawmakers are likely to consider to help eat into the funding gap includes public-private partnerships, fuel tax and fee increases.
One leading state lawmaker has come forward with various options to address transportation funding.
Rep. Rick Geist, the Republican chairman of the House Transportation Committee, has proposed an 11-point plan. The proposed solutions include tolls on Interstate 95, phasing out the motor license fund expenditures to the State Police budget, and more local responsibility for transit projects.
Geist contends the state cannot get out of its predicament without partnering with private groups for such projects as tolling new lanes on I-95.
“The cost for our whole state construction program is $1.8 billion. You realize we can’t do it,” Geist told Land Line Now on Sirius XM.
OOIDA members are opposed to the pawnshop mentality of making existing infrastructure, such as the Pennsylvania Turnpike, available to the highest bidder. They are also against tolling existing capacity on roadways that include I-80 and I-95.
“I-95 would still be a free road. Only the additional capacity would be tolled,” Geist said.
Before Pennsylvania lawmakers start their scramble to plug gaping holes in the transportation budget, OOIDA Director of Legislative Affairs Mike Joyce said it is vital that the state take more cautious steps to address infrastructure needs than what has been seen in the past.
“It starts with a responsible use of the resources they already have,” Joyce said.

4/9/10-The failed attempt to put tolls on Interstate 80 has left Pennsylvania state lawmakers scrambling to come up with money to pay for road and bridge work and aid to public transit. One leading lawmaker has stepped forward with various options.
The state was hopeful that their transportation budget would get a much-needed shot in the arm as they sought the green light from the feds to privatize I-80. Now that the Federal Highway Administration has rejected the application there is talk in Pennsylvania of a special session to generate revenue for transportation projects.
Rep. Rick Geist, the Republican chairman of the House Transportation Committee, wasted no time in touting his legislative package to help plug holes in a nearly $2 billion-a-year shortfall in transportation funding for the state. Among his 11 proposed solutions are tolls on Interstate 95, public-private partnerships, and more local responsibility for transit projects.
Before Pennsylvania lawmakers start their scramble to plug gaping holes in the transportation budget, OOIDA Director of Legislative Affairs Mike Joyce said it is vital that the state take more cautious steps to address infrastructure needs than what has been seen in the past.
“It starts with a responsible use of the resources they already have,” Joyce said. “But some of the options presented by Geist are a definite concern.”
Among the options that the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is closely monitoring is legislation that would enable public-private partnerships. It would authorize the state to do business with private groups to help rebuild the state’s transportation infrastructure.
Geist contends the state cannot get out of its predicament without partnering with private groups.
“The cost for our whole state construction program is $1.8 billion. You realize we can’t do it,” Geist told Land Line Now on Sirius XM.
Geist has his eyes on more than a dozen roadways that could be dealt to private groups.
“There are about 14 projects that are considered low hanging fruit for a public-private partnership.”
If the lessons learned from the state’s effort to privatize I-80 tells lawmakers anything, it is that getting permission to proceed from the Federal Highway Administration will not be easy. Nevertheless, Geist wants to seek consent to do business with a private group to toll new lanes on I-95.
With the price tag at about $20 billion for complete rehabilitation of the 50 miles of I-95 in the state, Geist said the roadway is a perfect candidate for privatization.
OOIDA members are opposed to the pawnshop mentality of making existing infrastructure, such as the Pennsylvania Turnpike, available to the highest bidder. They are also against tolling existing capacity on roadways that include I-80 and I-95.
Geist said his I-95 proposal would only put tolls on new lanes.
“I-95 would still be a free road. Only the additional capacity would be tolled,” he said.
Other parts of Geist’s plan include phasing out expenditures for the motor license fund from the State Police budget, nearly doubling the local transit match to 25 percent, and doing a pilot project permitting PennDOT to contract out all maintenance work for a specific transportation district or an entire interstate.
He is also calling for a study of a tax on vehicle miles traveled. His resolution would urge the General Assembly to look into the concept of taxing drivers based on vehicle miles traveled.
Rendell said this week that people understand that if they are going to get better roads and bridges, they will have to foot the bill to make it happen.
Before Pennsylvania resorts to reaching deeper into the pockets of taxpayers, OOIDA’s Joyce said the state should first take steps to ensure the revenue already coming in is used for its intended purpose.
“It is vital that Pennsylvania take more cautious steps than in the past to address infrastructure needs. It starts with a responsible use of the resources they already have,” Joyce said.
While OOIDA has concerns with certain parts of Geist’s 11-point plan, there are some aspects that Joyce said moves Pennsylvania in the right direction.
“We emphatically disagree with several of these proposals, however, peppered in with his 11 points are some areas of reform we welcome,” Joyce said.
OOIDA is encouraged to see Geist’s commitment to wean the State Police off the motor license fund and an increase on the local match for transit.
There is urgency among lawmakers to get to work on solutions for the transportation funding crisis. A special session to address the issue is likely to begin soon. However, time is short for lawmakers to get something done before the July 1 budget deadline.