Corman says waiting for later will only cost more
By Eric Boehm | PA Independent
HARRISBURG — Drivers will have to pay more to use Pennsylvania’s highways and mass transit, but a top Senate Republican says that is the only way to improve the state’s crumbling roads and bridges.
State Sen. Jake Corman, R-Centre, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said waiting to address infrastructure funding deficiencies could cost drivers and taxpayers more in the long run, as he threw his support behind a plan to increase transportation funding by $2.5 billion annually.
And if the money is not spent, Corman said, constituents will be paying anyway for extra wear and tear on their cars and additional gasoline used while sitting in traffic or detouring around closed bridges.
“We’re not saving our constituents money by not doing this,” said Corman on Wednesday. “The money is going to be spent one way or the other, so why not spend it to fix the problem?”
Pennsylvania has more than 5,200 structurally deficient bridges, the highest total in the nation, and more than 7,000 state roads are rated in poor condition, according to the state Department of Transportation.
Corman plans to introduce Senate Bill 4, which will implement the revenue-generating elements in the report verbatim from Gov. Tom Corbett’s Transportation Funding Advisory Commission. Corman did not specify when he would introduce his proposal.
The report recommended generating the $2.5 billion over the next five years mostly by uncapping a portion of the state’s gasoline taxes and increasing the cost of driver and vehicle registration fees.
The average driver will be paying about $2.50 more per week by the fifth year of the phase-in, when all the elements of Corman’s plan take effect.
The revenue will go directly to state transportation projects, which Corman said would provide jobs and boost the state’s economy.
“People are going to get hired because of this bill,” Corman said.
Corbett received the commission’s report in early August, but delayed making a policy recommendation because of concerns over the economy and the impact of transportation policies on the state budget. State House and Senate lawmakers from both parties have been pressuring the governor to announce publicly his support for the report.
The chambers of commerce in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have supported additional transportation revenue, arguing that good roads are important for a strong business climate.
The Pennsylvania AAA Federation, which represents the interests of drivers, was represented on the Transportation Commission and supported the proposal to increase funding to improve roads, although the higher fees would be a burden to some drivers.
Jim Runk, president of the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association, which represents trucking companies in the state, said his members generally support the plan.
“It can be very costly to the industry if we have to use circuitous routes,” said Runk, who was a member of the Transportation Commission. But he said some members oppose the 35 percent increase in registration fees included in the Transportation Commission’s report.
Nathan Benefield, research director of the Commonwealth Foundation, a free market think tank in Harrisburg, said transportation is a core function of government, but the state should prioritize how it spends the transportation funding.
“It’s hard to say we need more money for bridges when we are spending money to build things like soccer stadiums,” Benefield said. “We believe that we should prioritize every single dollar in the state budget.”
Corman said he plans to introduce a second bill to address funding reforms, including not requiring new cars to be inspected the first year, but added that bridges and highways cannot be fixed by simply making budget cuts.
Corman’s announcement is largely symbolic — at least for now — and mostly serves to ratchet up the pressure on Corbett to take a stand on the issue. Corman admitted getting lawmakers to support the funding plan without political cover from Corbett would be difficult.
But at least in theory, increasing transportation spending has support on both sides of the aisle in both chambers of the General Assembly.
State Sen. John Wozniak, D-Cambria, minority chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, said infrastructure improvement should be a priority to keep the state competitive economically.
“We have been saying for months that we must address Pennsylvania’s crumbling roads and bridges, not just to protect the safety of motorists, but transportation projects and infrastructure improvements are a powerful tool to get people back to work,” Wozniak said.
House Democrats included transportation funding as a key provision in a new 10-point plan unveiled Wednesday with the goal of creating jobs.
“Pennsylvania’s roads, bridges and transit systems are near the breaking point, and the governor’s silence is deafening,” said state Rep. Michael Hanna, D-Clinton. “We welcome Republican legislators’ efforts to step into that vacuum.”
On all sides, two issues remain true: The governor’s support is key, and failure to act before the end of 2011 likely means waiting until 2013 to address the problem.
Conventional wisdom says passing a transportation package during an election year will be difficult, which Corman said was further indication that now was the right time to approach the issue.
He said Senate leaders would consider adding session days in late November and December, if necessary.
