Corbett Says Roads and Mass Transit Funding Are Such Overwhelming Problems that He Punted

[JPZenger]

Last edited Tue Feb 14, 2012, 10:54 PM - Edit history (1)

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20120209_Corbett_says_road__bridge__and_transit_problems_too_big_for_Pa__budget.html?cmpid=125459078

One thing that was completely ignored in Corbett's budget was any resolution to severe funding shortages for roads, bridges and mass transit. PennDOT's budget is slashed and there are not enough dollars to fix deteriorating major bridges.

The Pittsburgh area mass transit system has already experienced drastic cuts in service, with even more draconian cuts about to happen.

Corbett organized a first-class Transportation Funding Commission of experts that came up with many reasonable recommendations - and then Corbett sat on his butt for months and still hasn't done anything to carry out those recommendations.

Excerpts of the above Phila. Inquirer article:

"Gov. Corbett said Tuesday that he did not budget for rescuing troubled highways, bridges, and mass-transit systems because the problem is so vast. Corbett's own transportation funding advisory commission urged last August that the state increase motor vehicle registration and license fees and raise a component of the gasoline tax to produce $2.5 billion more a year for highways, bridges, and mass transit.

Pennsylvania has more structurally deficient bridges than any other state - more than 5,000. Corbett reduced transportation funding by about 9 percent in the budget he proposed Tuesday: $5.86 billion, down from $6.43 billion this year. "It is critical that we address our transportation issues," Corbett said in his budget address. "This is not a budget item. It is too large for that.

"Funding constraints are threatening SEPTA's ability to serve its growing customer base," SEPTA said in a statement Tuesday. "More than $600 million in critical upgrades, from bridge repairs to overhauls of aging electrical substations and renovations of outdated facilities . . . have been deferred indefinitely." SEPTA's "service stabilization fund" will then be tapped out, and SEPTA faces an operating deficit of about $50 million in the fiscal year that starts July 1, 2013."

[Curmudgeoness]

1. Well, if you just ignore it, the problem will go away, right?

It is too vast to comprehend, it is too much to deal with----and does he expect that it will not become a bigger problem the longer it is shoved to the back of the line???

Oh, that's right, someone else will be having to deal with the shitstorm then. Sigh, who elected this asswipe?

[Sinistrous]

2. We do not have the option of recalling this moron/robot, but

does Corbet's inaction on this critical issue open the possibility of impeachment?

Yes, I am aware of the hopeless situation in the legislature, but even talking about impeaching Corbet would be beneficial.

[blue neen]

3. Agreed.

The lives of everyone who crosses those structurally deficient bridges are at risk. It's Pennsylvania residents and people from all across the country who travel those bridges every single day.

This is a disaster just waiting to happen, and Tom Corbett ignores it.

"Pennsylvania has more structurally deficient bridges than any other state - more than 5,000. Corbett reduced transportation funding by about 9 percent in the budget he proposed Tuesday: $5.86 billion, down from $6.43 billion this year. "It is critical that we address our transportation issues," Corbett said in his budget address. "This is not a budget item. It is too large for that."

It's time for the citizens of Pennsylvania (and the whole nation, actually) to start asking very serious questions about what Tom Corbett is all about.

[JPZenger]

4. Phil Inquirer Editorial: Must a Bridge Fall Down Before the Governor Acts on Transportation Funding?

http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/inquirer/20120212_Inquirer_Editorial__Must_a_bridge_fall_down_.html

[blue neen]

5. Corbett knows the truth about the bridges, just like he knew the truth about Jerry Sandusky.

Last edited Sun Feb 12, 2012, 07:44 PM - Edit history (1)

He obviously doesn't care.

[durablend]

6. Nono, you're not getting it

"Clearly" it's Rendell's fault. Much like everything else GovCorporate has to deal with...."somebody else's fault--I didn't doit"