Collaboration, not confrontation
U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler is among the many politicians, trucking industry advocates and community leaders opposed to a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation plan to charge tolls on nine interstate highway bridges in the state.
He’s right to oppose the idea, but his effort to deny federal funding to
PennDOT should the plan be implemented was the wrong approach.
State transportation officials need constructive and innovative ideas to overcome a serious highway funding problem, not a threat of further funding limits from one of their own congressmen. Mr. Reschenthaler, R-Peters, proposed an amendment to the annual transportation funding bill that would have denied PennDOT access to federal dollars if it imposed the additional tolls on existing roads or bridges that are part of the federal highway system. Fortunately, the amendment was rejected by the Democratic-controlled House Appropriations Committee on a 33-24 vote. We agree with Mr. Reschenthaler’s assessment that tolling interstate highway bridges amounts to “a tax on Pennsylvania’s workers and families who use these bridges every day to travel to work and school.” But such a heavyhanded approach in denying federal funds does nothing to address the problem of how to raise revenue for desperately needed bridge and highway repairs. PennDOT officials claim the agency is spending at least $8 billion less than it should every year on roads and bridges. Rather than penalize PennDOT — and the citizens of the commonwealth wealth — Mr. Reschenthaler’s efforts should go toward collaborative efforts with state officials to find solutions to the funding deficit. Gov. Tom Wolf created the Transportation Revenue Options Commission to recommend alternate transportation funding methods. The governor hopes to phase out the gasoline tax, the secondhighest in the nation, and replace it with other revenue sources. The commission plans to deliver its report by the end of July, one that reportedly will include recommendations for a fee on every package delivered in the state, an increase in vehicle registration fees, and new fees for miles driven annually as well as for Uber and Lyft rides. If Mr. Reschenthaler truly wants to help Pennsylvania motorists, he should sit down with state lawmakers and transportation officials and discuss what assistance he might provide from the federal level. The issue of transportation funding in Pennsylvania needs people committed to collaboration rather than confrontation.