PA. Repubs find they can't move transportation bill forward after they slash mass transit $

[JPZenger]

Last edited Wed Jun 26, 2013, 10:01 AM - Edit history (3)

The PA. Legislature is becoming more and more dysfunctional. The Senate in a bi-partisan manner passed a transportation bill to fund needs for the next 10 years for roads, bridges and mass transit. It is to be funded with a wholesale gasoline tax and some fee increases. They also discussed adding a fee to moving vehicle violations, such as speeding tickets.

The Repubs in the House yesterday could not even get the bill out of committee. The tea baggers say they won't support any tax increases. Keep in mind that PA.'s transportation funding is empty. The State over the past few years mortgaged the PA. Turnpike with billions of dollars of debt to pay for transportation improvements throughout the state. That source of debt is now tapped out.

To get more Repub votes, the Repubs slashed mass transit funding. Of course, then the Dems then refused to vote for it. Gridlock.

The Repubs want the bill, but they want the Dems to take all the blame for the tax increases.
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More on the transportation bill at:

http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=487363

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This change to the mass transit funding occurred after one Republican suburban legislator said funding of mass transit was "welfare." That bizarre teabagger legislator, Daryl Metcalfe, is literally from Mars. I swear I'm not making that up. He ran unopposed in his last race.

As usual, the House Dems are being completely shut out of the process. Corbett is only meeting with Republicans, in closed door meetings.

[JPZenger]

1. Some GOP Legislators are "Running Away from Corbett"

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/06/distant_gop_lawmakers_make_cor.html#incart_m-rpt-1

Excerpt:

"Few will fear reprisals from a governor with questionable political acumen. And that belief appears to have emboldened GOP legislators to consciously distance themselves from a governor they see as a potential albatross around their electoral necks, even as their names will appear on the same 2014 ballot.

“That's become increasingly clear, and it didn't happen overnight,” said Madonna. “Largely lawmakers get by now on their own initiative, their own fundraising, their own base, and their own constituent services. The party plays very little role. They certainly don't need a governor to help them win, and that makes them all independent contractors.”

Added a former high-ranking GOP legislative leader who spoke on condition of anonymity: “I'm told that the Republicans in the Senate, they're not walking away from him, they're running away from him.”

[blue neen]

2. Yeah, but they're still passing and trying to pass Corbett's boneheaded legislation.

They are a complete waste of our taxpayer dollars.

[JPZenger]

3. Update: House Repubs Holding Transp. Bill Hostage to get Senate to approve Liquor Privatization

A lobbyist on PCN yesterday said that it appears that a compromise transportation package has been worked out that has plenty of votes to pass with bi-partisan support. However, the House Republicans apparently may hold it hostage and refuse to vote on it until the Senate approves liquor privatization.