HARRISBURG—Today,
the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a transportation
funding package which keeps control of the Pennsylvania Turnpike in the
hands of public officials. Governor Rendell had previously pushed for
privatizing the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Media reports have indicated
that Governor Rendell has abandoned this plan for the time being.
“The General Assembly recognizes that the Pennsylvania Turnpike should
be managed for the public interest, not private profit,” said Jim
Swoyer, a public interest advocate with the Pennsylvania Public
Interest Research Group (PennPIRG). “This is a major public asset, and
decisions on what maintenance needs to be done, what safety standards
must be observed, and what tolls to charge should all be made based on
Pennsylvania’s needs, not a company’s profit margin.”
PennPIRG had been a cautionary voice in the rush to sell off
Pennsylvania’s most important transportation asset. On March 28, 2007,
PennPIRG released a paper detailing the problems that could be created
by ceding control over transportation planning to a private entity.
PennPIRG engaged in a state-wide public education campaign to highlight
concerns about the Governor’s plan.
“We are happy that the General Assembly is not moving forward with the
Governor’s privatization plan,” said Swoyer, “but, there is serious
money to be made in these schemes. Transportation advocates should keep
watch in case the proposal is resurrected.”
