[PRCo] Re: Glassport Loop

[John Swindler]

The madness happened five years ago when Ed Randell and the legislature pushed thru Act 44 that funded public transit with tolls and borrowed money from the turnpike commission.  (some of those legislative "leaders" are now in jail for other reasons)  It was a way to 'kick the problem' forward to the next administration.  Welcome to the next administration.  Act 44 included putting tolls on Interstate 80, which the feds didn't authorize.  What the feds didn't authorize was tolling I-80 to benefit another part of the state - like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.  At that point, Act 44 wasn't sustainable.  But that's also why tolls have increased each year on the turnpike - to pay for Act 44. So who do you propose to tax next???  That's the "hand-ringing" you are seeing. CheersJohn      > Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:54:35 -0400
> Subject: [PRCo] Re: Glassport Loop
> From: shadow at gmail.com
> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org
> 
> On Mon, Apr 30, 2012 at 3:47 PM, Fred Schneider <fwschneider at comcast.net> wrote:
> > Vote 'publican and lose more service!   :<)
> 
> You've all surely guessed my politics, but in fairness it seems like
> the PA Senate transportation chair,
> a Republican from State College, recognizes this path is one to
> madness even if the governor refuses
> to do anything but wring his hands.
> 
> I voted, a.k.a. re-upped my right to keep bitching.
> 
> > There was a great young lady who worked for me.  She left labor and industry and moved over to Department of Education to get a promotion.   A few weeks ago I had lunch with >her ... you know the kind ... the daughter you wish you had.   Now she told me that they have not hired anyone in her department since her.   It is always easy to find money to hire >consultants to do the work but there is no money to hire people on the state payroll.   Why?   The consultants can be told to give money back to the reelection campaigns if they are >hired but you cannot legally torque an employees arm.
> 
> Privatization is good for everyone!
> 
> -- 
> Derrick
> 
>