The Pennsylvania Turnpike: Unsafe At Any Speed
Updated: April 10, 2013 by Eric J. Epstein Rock the Capital
The Pennsylvania Turnpike was a landmark achievement for Pennsylvania motorists when it officially opened on October 1, 1940. America’s first Superhighway gave Pennsylvanians greater access to work, recreation and the freedom to roam the open road. Many of us harbor happy motoring memories: stopping to picnic, eating clam rolls at Howard Johnsons or taking Sunday afternoon jaunts to view fall foliage.
That era is gone. The Greatest Generation has yielded to the Greatest Burden. Cheap gas, friendly attendants and clean restrooms are in history’s rear view mirror.
So too is the old way of doing business at the toll road according to former-Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s (“PTC” or “the Commission”) Vice-Chairman, Timothy Carson. Six year’s ago, Mr. Carson ushered in a new era proclaiming, “We’re not your father’s Turnpike.” (1)
The Turnpike should not be my granddaughter’s debt burden either.
Governor Rendell (D-Philadelphia) did not create the kleptocracy that is the Turnpike, but he did conspire with both Republican chambers to construct an excruciating debt burden embedded in the passage of Act 44. According to former-Auditor General Jack Wagner, (D-Allegheney) the Turnpike’s “long-term debt has increased by more than 200%, from $2.6 billion to $8.3 billion, since the General Assembly approved Act 44 of
1 2007.” (2) And the debt continues to rise: “The ratio of debt-per vehicle rose from $6.47 in 2003 to $35.62 in 2012. The Turnpike still owes owes Penn DOT $450 million every year until 2058.” (3)
The Commission is run by a Chief Executive Officer, a Chief Operating Officer and governance is set by appointed Turnpike Commissioners. The Turnpike is a major business enterprise and a historical marker covering 546 miles of roadway with 21 maintenance facilities, five tunnels, 64 toll interchanges, 17 services plazas.
While the physical infrastructure that is the Turnpike is an essential artery for Pennsylvania, the Turnpike Commission is an outdated political patronage den where tolls, bonds, and perpetual debt are its lifeblood and the reason for its existence.
There has to be a better way than the status quo.
We scream when gas blinks upward and support military action to pay less at the pump. But Pennsylvanians remain respectfully indignant when the Turnpike holds them hostage and charges an arm and leg for a cold slice of pizza. The cost for a one-way trip ticket per automobile is about the same price to sit in the outfield bleachers at a Phillies game and on par for what we charge a nonresident to shoot to a bear.
The Turnpike Commission raised tolls 42.5% in 2004. Holy crap! That was more than the raises legislative leaders (16% to 34%) gave themselves on July 7, 2005 at 2:00 am in the morning. As the economy tanked, tolls steadily increased for motorists using cash or EZ Pass. Increase after increase was met with quiet despair and editorial outrage.
2 Then came the “See No Evil” toll increase of 2010. The Turnpike Commission decided to stop printing fares on tickets as a 10% increase was set to explode. The Commission argued that eliminating fare information would save $100,000 in printing costs. Auditor General Jack Wagner countered that “the removal of fare information as an attempt to conceal the rate increase from the public. He also said that motorists would be confused because without the fare printed on the ticket they would not know how much their trip would cost.” (4)
The Turnpike’s logic was bizarre: Let’s save money on printing costs but reimburse Commissioners for reenacting Sodom and Gomorra. Fresh from PHEAA facials, falconry lessons and mud baths, Mr. Wagner “found commissioners racked up $539,000 in expenses between 2007 and 2011, including $45,992 for lodging, $15,356 for meals, and $406,497 for cars.” (5)
And these guys don’t even pay tolls.
The Turnpike later reversed its decision and printed the actual cost of fares on tickets. Whatever happened to truth in advertising?
Well before the “Guess Your Charge” fiasco, former Turnpike CEO Joseph G. Brimmeier - who was indicted by Attorney General Kathleen Kane (D-Lackawanna) on March 13, 2013 - promised on January 24, 2004, “Further, I pledge that this will be the last toll increase for at least the remainder of this decade, so Pennsylvania Turnpike customers can once again enjoy a respite from toll increases while driving a better, safer road.” (6) The following year, “The number of cars using the Pennsylvania Turnpike is down by less than 1% since last summer's toll increase.” (7) 3 Mr. Brimmeier broke his bond three years later and maneuvered to increase Turnpike tolls by 25%. In 2009 - the first year of a full throated recession - the Promisekeepers increased tolls by 3%. (8) Maybe I’m too old school, but I was taught that a decade constitutes ten years.
Brimmeier bragged that the Turnpike hadn't raised their tolls since 1991. While that’s true, it’s only half of the story: Turnpike tolls were increased by 30% in 1987 and another 30% in 1991.
In 2007, House Bill 1590 gave “the PTC full discretion to set toll rates subject to bond covenants giving bondholders rights in circumstances of default.” In other words, "Tolls shall not be subject to supervision or regulation by any other state commission, board, bureau or agency. (9)
This was a chilling reminder of former Senator Allen Kukovich’s (D- Westmoreland) warning that the Turnpike’s bond business “just seems to be pay backs to political folks all the time.”
Since the General Assembly approved Act 44 “there have been five annual toll increases, and the PTC’s “long-term debt has increased by more than 200%, from $2.6 billion to $8.3 billion” and traffic volume stagnated between 2007-2012.
During fiscal year 2010-11, traffic volume on the Pennsylvania turnpike totaled over 189 million vehicles, including 165 million passenger vehicles (87%) and 24 million commercial vehicles (13%). The total net revenue generated from tolls in fiscal year 2010-11 was $763 million ($436 million or 57 % from passenger vehicles, and $328 million or 43% from commercial vehicles). An increasing percent of revenue (47% in 2011) goes toward debt service mainly due to the burdens of Act 44 – passed in 2007. (10)
4 But this is hardly a surprise given the structure of the Turnpike and its propensity to bond itself into financial servitude. Inviting more bond indenture for this crew was like asking an Edsel to tow a Pinto to a repair shop. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Editorial Board concluded in 1997:
Political considerations are routinely a factor in the turnpike's selection of bond underwriters, turnpike documents show. The documents list turnpike bond deals with the name of the underwriting firms, their share of bonds and their profits, and the political party that sponsored them. The commission has issued or refinanced more than $2b in bonds to pay for road projects since 1986 [without bids]. Turnpike officials said the bonds were split 50-50 between the parties...Several studies have concluded that municipal bond issuers pay significantly higher costs on negotiated underwritings, such as the turnpike's, than on competitively bid offerings.” (11) Since this Inquirer’s investigation was published, Pennsylvania has been served by four Governors, two Attorney Generals and experienced six toll increases. This year’s bump was actually more than the price of a gallon of gas. EZ-Pass customers now pay $3.98 more to cross the state or $30.17 while cash hostages were assessed at an additional $4.75 and pay $35.15. With health insurance outpacing inflation and property taxes steadily increasing, can consumers afford to drive on a road with never ending toll hikes?
The uncomfortable irony is that toll hikes defeat the beauty and freedom that the Turnpike delivered in 1940. The Turnpike Mission is: “To operate and manage a safe reliable cost-effective and valued toll-road system.” Seventy-three years ago we figured a way to blow holes in mountains to connect people. Now we extort soccer moms to underwrite the politically disconnected.
5 Managers, Employees, and Lobbyists
It’s difficult to imagine a more inefficient use of labor and toll dollars. Does the Commission really need 480 managers and 1,799 employees to staff, manage, and operate the Turnpike? That’s 2,279 employees making sure 546 miles of road run on time. (12) Or 4.17 employees (including one manager) per mile of toll road.
In 1957 - under a Democratic administration - there were 1,560 employees at the Turnpike. Fifty years years later the number mushroomed to 2,279. By 1997 - under a Republican regime - the Turnpike was considered overstaffed when its employee/mile ratio was 3:1 compared to 1:1 at Penn DOT. Some bureaucratic whack job would view this as economic development.
Staffing numbers decreased by 2011 as ATM’s supplanted ticket takers. “The turnpike’s workforce consisted of 2,104 employees as of May 31, 2011.”(13) Not bad if you don’t count the contractors, relatives and the 7,000 folks who “ride for free represented a 60-percent increase from 1997.” (14)
Can you imagine how “efficient” our schools would be if we deployed one teacher for every four students? The student to teacher ratio in Pennsylvania for primary schools is 15 kids to one teacher. (15)
In 2007 the Turnpike Commission reported 10 managers earning from $125,320 to $178,427. (16) How many fireman or policeman or nurses make that much money? Turnpike wages (not factoring health benefits and pension plans) are vastly superior to the private sector in Pennsylvania in comparable supervisory fields, 6 Supervisory (17)
Job Title 2006 2007 % change Regulatory Affairs Manager $64,101 $75,731 +18.14 Product Line Manager II $92,039 $107,939 + 17.28 General Supervisor $52,488 $57,922 +10.35 General Accounting Supervisor $51,627 $56,908 +10.23 Collection Manager $55,168 $54,465 –1.27 Human Resource Manager $69,644 $68,062 –2.29 Sales Promotion/Manager $109,467 $97,336 –11.08
Tom Corbett's first selection for Turnpike CEO, Roger Nutt made $196,753 a year. Governor Corbett, the nation’s highest paid chief executive, makes $183,255. But you don’t have to be a Nutt to receive a lucrative compensation package. Pennsylvania’s four appointed Turnpike Commissioners are nominated by the Governor, confirmed by the Senate and meet no more than twice a month. They receive $26,000 a year or $1,083.34 per meeting. Chairman William Lieberman receives $28,500 or $1,187.50 per meeting.
Ah, the Senate, the den of inequity according to former Chairman of the House Transportation Committee Richard Geist (R-Blair): “The turnpike is totally a plaything of the (state) Senate.” Other politicians charge the pike “exists as much to provide jobs for the friends and relatives of Democrats and Republicans politicians as it does to provide a thoroughfare for drivers.” (18)
7 The commissioners enjoyed $539,201 in benefits over the audit period covering 2007-2011. In the post-Pay Raise and post-PHEAA aftermath, the Commissioners posted an impressive array of “benefits”: No limits were placed on expense accounts for commissioners traveling to conferences around the world. Commissioners stayed in luxury hotel suites and received free vehicles and electronic devices for personal use, all paid for with toll revenue. The report cited one commissioner writing off a $494 restaurant bill in Harrisburg in February 2010.” (19)
These stewards of the Pennsylvanian autobahn even found a way to blow a gasket in the Turnpike's automobile fleet. “Between Jan. 1, 2007, and Aug. 31, 2011, the Turnpike spent $406,497 buying new cars for commissioners (that does not include the $39,799 for Lieberman's newest Jeep), and $29,642 on fuel and $20,328 on maintenance.” (20)
On March 22, 2013, former Commissioner J. William Lincoln resigned after admitting he accepted a $3,000 gift certificate to Nemicolon from an engineering firm, shook down campaign donations from Turnpike contractors and served as the point of contact between the Senate and Commission. Lincoln was the former Senate Majority Leader (D-Fayette). The Grand Jury’s Presentment declared that: "Commissioner J. William Lincoln testified before the Grand Jury pursuant to a grant of immunity. Commissioner Lincoln admitted that he received the gift certificates and failed to report them on his annual Statement of Financial Interests." (Please refer to discussion on “Indictments” on p. 8)
Apparently Mr. Lincoln will be able to retain his pension and lifetime of free health care on the taxpayers dime.
Is this a great system or what? 8 If you spend that much time on the road, you certainly need to hire a gaggle of lobbyists. Pork-a-pooloza hit the fan at the Turnpike in 2007.
The PTC paid the Bravo Group more than $26,000 a month (or the amount a Turnpike Commissioner receives as their annual stipend) to lobby the legislature and governor not to privatize the Turnpike. That’s the same amount a Turnpike Commissioner is paid annually in 2013. This is on par with the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency which paid more than $1 million a year to eight lobbying firms, including $235,000 to a single lobbyist. (21) Also, to avoid a hostile privatization takeover.
In 2007, the Department of State listed 11 lobbyists from Bravo working on behalf of the Commission, including Jill Asher, a founding member of the Pennsylvania Future Fund and daughter of GOP power broker Bob Asher. The Commission support lobbying staff included: Commonwealth Strategic Solutions (headed by Mike Long, the former chief of staff to Senate President Pro Tempore Robert Jubelirer (R-Blair) who bagged $41,000 in taxpayer-funded bonuses), Eckert, Seamans, Cherion & Mellott, LLC., Rosscommon Consulting International and Twain Marketing. (22)
The also Commission contracted with former state senator Joseph Loeper, (R-Delaware County). He was Senate Majority Leader from 1989- 1992. Loeper admitted to violating federal tax laws, plead guilty to obstructing an IRS investigation, insisted on staying on at the Senate (even Senator Vince Fumo (D-Philadelphia) asked him to step aside).
Loeper seems like the right guy to argue against leasing anything other than himself. He was sent to prison in Fort Dix, but kept his pension and free healthcare as part of the plea bargain. 9 Hard to imagine that a tax cheat and former Senate Majority Leader David “Chip” Brightbill (R-Lebanon) and a former President Pro Tempore and Lieutenant Governor Robert Jubelirer (R-Blair) and their staff did not have their hands in the Turnpike cookie jar. If a 60/40 split at the Turnpike didn’t include Senate Republicans, who got the split?
According to Robert Jubelirer Pay to Play was “completely foreign” to how Republicans behaved when was running the joint. “We recommended people who were very competent,” said Jubelirer, who also said he was not contacted by law enforcement. “Sometimes they got hired, sometimes they didn’t.” (23)
Jubelirer’s “recommendations” carried weight.” Debroah Eckert started working at the Turnpike in 1994 making $42,000 as a “marketing department representative.” In 1997, John Durbin, the former Executive Director of the Turnpike told The Philadelphia Inquirer that Jubelirer had called him in mid-1996 to say "Deb was extremely qualified" for a promotion...” She was promoted. The couple married on August 17, 1997. When Deborah Eckert Jubelirer quit her job on August 6, 1999, she was making $66,539 as assistant deputy executive director of marketing. Mrs. Jubelirer and a computer technician were fired “after officials learned that a nude photo of her was in the computer system in the turnpike commission offices.” (24)
Clearly, there was a need for the Turnpike to display a more professional public image.
10 Compare the Turnpike’s lobbyists’ fees against the Pennsylvania norm for “Regulatory Affairs” on page 7, and you’ll see whose getting banged for the buck. If we reduce Turnpike appropriations by the amount spent on lobbying fees, taxpayers can save at least $312,000 annually.
And then there is Washington, D.C.. You may remember the Turnpike Commission's star lobbyist - Ann Eppard - who secured $20 million in funding for the Mon-Fayette expressway. John Martino, legislative liaison for the commission, called Eppard, who passed away in 2005, "one of the most intelligent persons I've ever met in all my years in government and public service." (25)
“A week later, however, she was hit with an indictment charging that during her tenure as [Bud] Shuster's chief of staff she accepted $230,000 in illegal payments in connection with an enormous Boston highway project and embezzled $27,500 from his campaign.” (26)
Not a problem for the Turnpike or Eppard’s clients:
‘Frankly the indictment did not affect our business relationship at all,’ said Pennsylvania transportation consultant Joseph W. McMahon, whose firm paid Eppard about $60,000 last year. McMahon was clear about Eppard's value to his firm: ‘She helped us to get to visit with a number of legislators -- Chairman Shuster, of course.’ (27)
The article was written 17 days before Ann Eppard caught a break from the Supreme Court which ruled gifts to government official are legal unless the official performs a “special official act” in return for the favor. (28) The unanimous decision was written by Anton Scalia. On November 1, 1999, - after most of the charges were dropped - Eppard was fined $5,000 admitted to a misdemeanor. 11 The Turnpike Commission was well aware of the Eppard-Shuster lobbying highway to transportation riches. Congressman Bud Shuster (R- Bedford) employed Ann Eppard as his top Congressional aide for 22 years before she founded Ann Eppard Associates, Ltd., in 1994. Ms. Eppard’s enterprise was a “lobbying firm that primarily represents transportation interests before Chairman Shuster's Transportation & Infrastructure Committee...Roll Call reported that Rep. Bud Shuster...acknowledged in a statement Thursday that his campaign is based in the home office of a lobbyist whose main business is representing clients before his committee.” Eppard was paid $3,000 per month by Shuster's campaign committee. (29)
One way to address the issue of subsidizing lobbyists is to defund state bodies from renting mouthpieces. Rep. Tina Davis, (D-Bucks) is seeking to “prohibit all state government entities from using public money to hire outside lobbyists to lobby sister agencies or branches. The bill would prohibit any arm of government from entering into a contract or otherwise paying an outside lobbyist. That would include boards under the governor’s jurisdiction, judicial agencies, the legislative branch, independent agencies and state-affiliated entities such as PHEAA and PTC.” (30)
Davis introduced similar legislation with 14 bipartisan sponsors last year, but Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) Chairman of the State Government Committee did not allow the bill to come up for a vote. Davis put the bill back on the table. On April 2, 2013, House Bill 1085 was referred to the State Government Committee and cosponsored 24 Democrats and Republicans. (31)
12 The size of Pennsylvania's legislative staff (the second-largest in the nation) more than doubled from 1,430 (1979) to 2,947 (2003); and by 2005, the the cost of running the Pennsylvania Legislature was $23 for every resident. (32) I not a big fan of the Legislature, but even these guys acknowledged the need to reduce it’s bloated size. In 2007, the Speaker's Commission on Legislative Reform recommend cutting operating costs 10% to save $32 million.
In 2012, the Pennsylvania legislature - the largest full-time legislature in the nation - cost $297 million to operate and support a 3,000 person work force. The Pennsylvania legislature is also the most expensive chamber maid in the nation weighing in at a per capita toll of $23.28 per resident. However, it is still more costly to travel across (Warrnedale to the Delaware River Bridge) the state per car - $26.71 using EZ Pass or $33.90 if you pay by with cash. (33)
The Turnpike pared down its size to 2,104 in 2013, but provided more than $4.1 million of toll free travel to nearly 5,000 consultants, contractors, and other state government officials. (34)
The Turnpike’s approved budget for 2011-2012 was $315,650,000. The adjusted budget for 2012-2013 increased by 3.5% or $11,029,000 and crested at $326,679,000 . (35)
“The Commission added an office of inspector general in 2009 and retained a private-detective agency in April.” On September 21, 2012, four years after the Attorney General's Office began investigating the Turnpike, the Commission hired former-FBI agent David A. Gentile as it’s Chief Compliance Officer. (36) 13 Has the the lobby machine fortified with political bower breakers and quintessential outsiders given way “a much improved Turnpike organization”?
By 2011-2012 the Turnpike’s Governmental Affairs budget was $163,308 combined with a Communications & Public Relations outlay of $3,651,053 for a total of $3,803,361. This was the same budget season in which $860 million was stripped out of the state’s K-12 education budget. This year - with the addition of new oversight staffing and fresh indictments - the Commission’s Government Affairs budget increased by 23.3% to $200,175 and the Communications and Public Relations price tag jumped 18.5 %to $4,330,256. (37) The new, improved Turnpike’s PR machine budget increased by $526,895. By comparisons, the toll increase in 2013 for automobiles was 3% for EZ Pass and 10% for cash. (38)
It’s a hard sell convincing folks that increased tolls and blinding debt burden is in their best interest.
The net result, in the words of a veteran Penn DOT official, is that, “You have a bloated bureaucracy, you have patronage that is egregious, and contracts that are poorly managed.” (39) That was the same year - 1997 - former commissioner (1993-1997) Robert Gleason, current Republican Party Chairman from Cambria County -was accused of using “his power on the commission to drum up business for his insurance agency.” (40)
Gleason was appointed by Robert P. Casey (D-Lackawana) to the Commission. “He served on the Commission until September 1997, during which time he helped determine policy on construction, operation, and maintenance issues, as well as addressing finance and contract issues.” (41) 14 Governor Thomas J. Ridge (R-Erie) demoted Gleason to the State Transportation Commission in 1997. Gleason left the Commission to advocate full-time for the Gleason Agency, his family’s Johnstown-based insurance firm. “During my four year term with the Commission, critical changes and accomplishments occurred that resulted in a much improved Turnpike organization. However, the job was extremely time consuming, requiring a great deal of energy. My future priority, by necessity, will be my rapidly expanding insurance business.” (42)
Mr. Gleason was able to successfully lobby himself at the Turnpike Commission, “I'm sure that my being a turnpike commissioner doesn't hurt, OK, whenever it comes to doing anything politically.” Gleason said, “he saw no problem with doing insurance business with companies having turnpike contracts, as long as they were insurance clients before he joined the commission...Officials of two turnpike contractors told The Inquirer they had been solicited by representatives of Gleason's firm after he joined the commission. Mr. Gleason admitted his family business “did not have insurance business with EADS before he became a commissioner, but he regarded the firm [Turnpike contract] differently, because EADS was “local” and it was “an account we had been after for some time.” (43)
Who says history doesn’t repeat itself?
15 Roads to Somewhere...Anywhwere
Why did Mr. Brimmeier and Mr. Carson continues to advocate building exorbitant interchanges like the Sony Connector also refereed to as the Laurel Valley Connector in Westmoreland County?
According to deceased and former Rep. John Murtha (D-Johnstown), “The Laurel Valley [Sony] Connector is the No. 1 priority for Westmoreland County because it’ll link the industrial parks and the Sony complex with both the turnpike and Route 981 to the airport near Latrobe with its new intermodal.” (44)
Among the powerful supporters of the toll road are gubernatorial candidate and former-Allegheny County Executive and unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate Dan Onorato (D), former-Sen. Richard Kasunic, (D-Somerset), and former Majority Leader and convicted felon Bill DeWeese (D-Greene).
''It's a monster,'' said David McGuirk, an expressway opponent. ''It's a black hole for Pennsylvania tax dollars.'' (45)
Even supporters like Ralph Imbrogno, manager for the City of Clairton conceded, “I'm not saying that that justifies spending millions, just to make it convenient for people to get from point A to point B. But how does a Pittsburgh politician expect people to participate in events downtown if there is no easy way to get into downtown Pittsburgh?'' (46)
15 Former legislators Murtha, DeWeese, Stoudt, the Shusters (Bill, Bud and Ann) were bacon brokers par excellence. Hordes of “connected” people profited from Sony, Mon-Fayette, and Lafayette (Montgomery County) Connectors. These roadways were an antithesis to the Turnpike’s original mission and based on political connections which starved resources from other transportation needs.
According to a study conducted by Brunot Consulting, Inc. for Penn Future in 2004:
The Mon-Fayette Toll Road and the Southern Beltway projects are diverting funds from regional priorities in other areas of the state. They also divert funding from maintenance of the state's existing transportation infrastructure. The only potential benefit that MFTR has for these regional priorities is IF it provides the only means for garnering support in the state legislature to increase transportation funding as a whole. (47)
Of course the issue of property rights and eminent domain are rarely dragged into needs assessments or Environmental Impact Statements. According to Turnpike commission spokesman Joe Agnello, most of Right of Way purchases were nothing more than amicable settlements. “Agnello said 90 percent of all purchases the commission has made for other sections [Uniontown-to- Brownsville section of the Mon-Fayette Expressway] of the expressway are settled through negotiations, but the rest end up in court.” (48)
Joe Q. Property-Owner is sure to get a fair shake in a court system free of political influence and money.
Most elected officials from the southwest are card carrying members of Mon-Fay booster club. But no one was more “irrationally exuberant” as former-Rep. John Murtha. 16 I brought in $55 million for Route 22, $20 million to develop an intermodal transportation center and new interchange near the Sony plant, and $21.2 million for several other projects...So what I'd do for the Mon/Fayette is the same thing I've done for the areas that I've represented in the past - work to deliver for the people I represent by getting money included in the next transportation bill to advance this essential project for our area.” (49)
Former politicians, who became lobbyists, were still sucking on the t transportation candy. "The Mon-Fayette Expressway, which must be completed, still needs $2 billion and the money isn't there” lamented former U.S. Rep. Bud Shuster of Bedford County. (50)
The MFTR Connector was the second most expensive national road project. Theoretically, it received another $350 million ala Act 44. “At an estimated $4.2 billion, the Mon-Fayette will cost Pennsylvania motorists for decades — regardless of whether they ever pass through a Turnpike toll booth — in gasoline taxes and vehicle registration fees.” (51)
But at least Mon-Fay will link Pittsburgh to the vital economic engine that is, uh, Morgantown, West Virginia.
The Turnpike also serves a public drive-in for politicians. The James J. Manderino Highway - named after a former Majority Leader and Speaker of the House (D-Westmoreland) - passes over 6 miles and came on line in 1990 for $55 million.The Amos K. Hutchinson Bypass, proposed under Act 61: Turnpike Organization, Expansion and Toll Road Conversion Act (1984), is named after a former Democratic House member from Westmoreland. The Bypass covers 13.2 mile, cost $282 million and came on line in 1993. The James E. Ross Highway, named for a Democratic senator from Beaver County spans 16.5 miles, cost $243 million and 17 opened for traffic in 1992. And the portion of the Mon-Fay Expressway covering PA 51-I-70, was named for J. Barry Stout a former state senator (D-Westmoreland). This 17 miles patch into in operation in 2002 at a cost $588 million. (52)
These connectors and extensions were not enough. Turnpike officials had to travel to Europe to search for ways to design future spokes.
In 2003 Chairman Mitchell Rubin (Vince Fumo’s pal who was indicted by Attorney General Kane), Timothy Carson (who resigned from the Turnpike on February 8, 2009 after he was convicted of two DUIs driving Turnpike vehicles), Turnpike CEO Joseph Brimmeier (indicted), and Associate Executive Director Kevin Logenbach (left the Turnpike in 2007) attended the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association meeting in Paris.
In the fall of 2007, Brimmeier, former Chief Operating Officer George Hatalowich (indicted) , and Carson attended the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (“IBTTA”) conference in Austria. “I'm not hiding the fact. When IBTTA events are held in our state, we expect people to come here.” (53) Mr. Brimmeier is on the IBTTA Board of Directors, and made a presentation entitled "Tolling I-80: A Public-Public Partnership."
Soon E-Z Pass will accept and be run by Euros.
How did Mr. Brimmeier find time to hire his relatives, antagonize Governor Rendell and prepare a presentation for a European audience. “Brimmeier's practice was to work at the Turnpike about three days a week and most of the day to day decisions were taken by Logenbach, insiders say. (54) 18 Pinstripe Welfare
Legislative audits in 1987, 1989, and 1997, as well as the Turnpike’s internal review in 1996, found serious flaws in hiring practices, noted that human resources did not always play a significant role in labor decisions, and concluded “sponsor hirings” were common practice. Translation: Nepotism was a prevalent hiring practice, and “pinstripe patronage” (a term coined by David Levdansky (D-Pittsburgh), knows no party boundaries.
Back in grandpa’s day (2005) you could be hired based on your last name or political blood line. Notable examples included: Mark Bodack (son of a retired state senator); Daniel Dodaro (his dad used to run the joint); Douglas Fargo (son of a former state rep); Ronald Dininni (nephew of a former lawmaker), Jeffrey Hess (son of Dick Hess); Douglas James Manderino (son of a former House Speaker); Paul Pistella (brother of a pay jacker); and, Fred Trello (son of a former state representative). (55)
Some of these folks still work at the Turnpike while their sponsors have retired, been defeated, or passed away. These individuals are likely good employees, but that’s not that point. Access to good-paying state jobs should be an open and transparent process based on merit; not a family heirloom.
According to Mr. Carson, patronage plums could no longer be harvested at the new Turnpike. Toll booths and management positions were no longer to be stocked with friends and family. If this was the case, why was Joe Brimmeie’s family tree an orchard planted at the Turnpike Commission?
19
According to TollRoadsNews.com, an industry news outlet, Mr. Brimmeier’s son is an assistant director of regional operations, despite having no prior experience or specific qualifications. Brimmeier also created a job at the central office for his cousin Shawn, hired another cousin, Edward, as a plumber in the Turnpike's maintenance division, and hired nephew, Kevin, as a communications field technician. Mr. Brimmeier has also referred Turnpike legal cases through his sister Bonnie’s law firm, and provided work to his sister Jan, an architect, to design service plazas. (56)
Mr. Carson’s sentiments were reclaimed eight years later by the Turnpikes Commission’s new CEO, Mark Compton. In an interview on March 23, 2013, Mr. Compton stated:
One thing I can tell you is we are reviewing the entire code of conduct. We did remind our employees of the current code. But we believe there is a higher standard for myself, our COO and the directors of our executive team. We are looking at what’s the next piece we as stewards of the trust with signature authority have to abide by.” (57 )
Carson’s Turnpike “reforms” were in addition to Mr. Brimmeier arranging a monthly contract of $10,000 for 22 months ($220,000 total) to former senator and convicted felon Vince Fumo’s (D-Philadelphia) close associate Michael Palermo. Yet Sen. Fumo’s 139-count federal indictment stated that the Pennsylvania Turnpike “has no records reflecting that any work was ever performed.” (58)
Perhaps Attorney General Kane should be looking for “ghosts” at the Turnpike Commission? 20 And what about Mr. Corbett? Tom Corbett (R-Pittsburgh) strode atop an anti-corruption platform and marched into the Governor's Mansion. As a candidate, Mr. Corbett pledged to change the Pay to Pay culture and transform Harrisburg into meritocracy.
In March, 2011 the Turnpike Commission imported Roger Nutt form New Jersey to become their CEO. How did Roger Nutt find his way to the Harrisburg East Turnpike Exit 19?
Tom Corbett’s closest aide was Brian Nutt. The two are tied at the political hip. Nutt served as campaign manager for Tom Corbett’s campaigns for Attorney General in 2004 and 2008. He served as Chief of Staff to Corbett from January 2005 until May or June of 2008. Mr. Nutt left the Office of Attorney General (“OAG”) to run Mr. Corbett’s reelection campaign, returned to the Office of Attorney General as Corbett’s Chief of Staff in November 2008. Nutt left the OAG to run Corbett’s gubernatorial campaign in May 2009.
Roger is Brian’s father.
21 The Final Act
Tim Carson, Esquire was former vice chairman and served on the Turnpike Commission for nine tears. Carson worked for Saul Ewing as public finance attorney until 2010, and was the Turnpike most visible pompom for Act 44. Mr. Carson declared, "This law was crafted by Gov. Ed Rendell and the General Assembly after months of study and debate. Lawmakers looked at many alternatives." (59) This spin is eerily similar Mr. Corbett’s justification for lottery privatization “I can’t help it if people were paying attention or not.”
Act 44 was conjured-up as an amendment on the floor of the House, then amended by Senate leadership. It did not go through the committee process. There were no hearings on Act 44.
The voter, consumer, rate payer, toll payer, and tax payer were not given an opportunity to speak to a piece of legislation that has compelled the Turnpike to pay Penn DOT $350 million annually. This is called gut- and-replace legislation and this is what happens when your elected officials to have the guts to stand up
Former Rep. Eugene DePasquale (D-York), current Auditor General, told the the York County Chamber of Commerce on January 10, 2007 that Act 44 was rammed through the legislature by his party, resulting in partisan divisions. (60)
22 Former Rep, Rick Geist, (R-Blair), who once called the Turnpike the “playground of the Senate” and refused to pay back his illegal pay raise, blasted Act 44’s massive debt structure:
We have a massive transportation infrastructure problem in Pennsylvania that must be addressed, but the plan approved today is absolutely the wrong approach to fixing the problem. We’ve chosen to go $11 billion into debt and give unprecedented power to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission...I see this as an irresponsible deviation from the pay-as-you-go philosophy that Pennsylvania has followed to pay for transportation. (61)
Rep. Geist, former Majority and Minority Chair of Transportation, does possess bipartisan credentials. (62) On April 5, 2007, he teamed with Governor Rendell (2003-2011) and U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters (2006-2009) supported the leasing of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
The toll shell game means shifting the costs of transportation into the wallets of consumers. Norman S. Rich, president and CEO of Weiss Markets, noted that all of their 126 stores in Pennsylvania are supplied from a distribution center in Milton just 10 miles from route 80. And 57 Weiss stores are supplied via I-80, six days a week or the equivalent of 20,000 trips a year on the road. “If the I-80 toll proposal matches the Pennsylvania Turnpike rates, a round-trip truck run from Milton to Stroudsburg would cost $62.” (63) Who do you think is going to pay for the increased cost of groceries?
Mr. Carson opined, "Act 44 generates enough funding to satisfy the needs identified by the Governor's Transportation Funding and Reform Commission, which cited a $1.7 billion annual gap in funding for our transportation systems." (64) 23 On November 13, 2006, the Transportation Funding and Reform Commission didn't suggest Pennsylvania needed $1.7 billion in 30 years. We need that revenue yesterday. Act 44 will provide $750 million this year, but won't provide $1 billion until 2015. A couple of years after the state pension time bomb blows up. (65) Based on historic inflation rates, $1.7 billion in 2037 may be worth about $500 million in today’s dollars. If Congress rejects the I-80 tolling scheme, then Act 44 will yield only one- fourth of the identified need. (66)
Tolling I-80 was rejected by the US Department of Transportation on April 6, 2010. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, an Illinois Republican serving as Secretary since 2009 issued a statement noting the state's receipt of $1.4 billion in federal stimulus funds and stating that his agency "based today's decision on what is allowable under federal law." (67)
Apparently, being a bond attorney does not mean you’re able to add or subtract. Mr. Carson didn’t tell you that while my grandfather is off the hook, my granddaughter is going to be paying a heavy price. The Turnpike Commission will be paying off a $24 billion debt and several hundred million dollars in interest at least through 2060.
These types of fuzzy projections make you wonder why the Commission refused to produce the Citigroup study (performed at no cost) requested by Morgan Stanley in its analyses of Turnpike for either leasing or public corporation options. The Turnpike Commission said:
24 Citigroup’s financial analysis verifies that in each scenario, the Commission can generate a greater upfront payment through a tax-exempt bond financing than a private concessionaire can through a debt/equity financing. Under a 75-year lease with future toll increases consistent with the Commission’s recent trend in toll increases, the concessionaire could pay $12.35 billion in upfront proceeds; the Commission $13.41 billion.
The conclusion was authored by by Mitchell Rubin and entitled "Response to Request for Expressions of Interest” to PennDOT (dated December 22, 2006), included a telling endnote.
The Citigroup Analysis should be read in its entirety to understand the assumptions and qualifications in the results stated therein. A copy of the Citigroup Analysis. (68)
Only one problem: The Turnpike Commission's didn’t let anyone read the Citigroup Analysis. Despite the fact the Turnpike Commission will pay $57 billion to PennDOT over the next 40 years, the PTC would not share the Citigroup study with the Secretary of the Department of Transportation, Allen D. Biehler (2003-2011).
This is more than a little odd.
Mr. Brimmeier and Mr. Biehler are pals from western Pennsylvania. Brimmeier, who used to be chief of staff for former Rep. Ron Klink (D- Pittsburgh), was appointed to head the Turnpike Commission by Allen D. Biehler in February, 2003.
25 What was the “new” and “improved” Turnpike Commission hiding? Surely this can’t have anything to do with a blood oath between unrelated political chums from Allegheny County? Maybe the silence is attributable to “reports that Citigroup and Merrill Lynch were trying to raise capital after disastrous sub prime investments. It has been reported that Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and the Chinese Government may give Citigroup the required cash infusions.” (69)
The author of the document was no other than the former Chairman of the Turnpike Commission, Mitchell Rubin, who was indicted by Attorney General Kathleen Kane. This is the the same guy who “racked up $72,000 in expenses over five years, much of it for meals at posh and explained it away by chortling, “This job doesn't come with an instruction book.” (70)
Mr. Rubin is an associate of Senator Vincent Fumo and accused in the 267 page, 139 count federal grand jury indictment of Senator Fumo of multiple counts of defrauding Pennsylvania. The federal indictment stated that Mr. Rubin provided no work product in return for a contract providing to the Senate Democratic Appropriations Committee. "Neither the Senate nor (Rubin's) firm possesses any documentary evidence, such as notes and reports, showing that he or his firm ever provided any 'research, analysis (or) recommendations on legislative matters' or anything related to constituent services...(Rubin) did little or no actual senate work at all." (71)
26 Then again, one never knows what to believe when the Governor or Commission shift from mute to audio. Was Governor Rendell telling the truth when he told the Centre Daily Times editorial board that Goldman Sachs would win a Turnpike lease bid? Or was he telling the truth when he denied telling the editorial board that Goldman Sachs would win?
Maybe Joe Brimmeier was right when he told the Herald Standard the Commission and Governor’s bottom line. A couple years back during the dedication of the transit facility at the Connellsville Airport, former- Senator Richard Kasunic “put a bug in his [the Governors’] ear” about a Brownsville link of the Mon-Fayette Expressway. "This is what Ed Rendell is all about, economic stimulus packages. He said right now, $37 million is being spent on 54 state projects in Fayette County, "And we will see another tremendous benefit when we finish Uniontown to Brownsville for Rich." (72)
27 Indictments
The worst kept secret in Harrisburg - that the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is infested by Pay to Play rats - came as no surprise. No bid contracts and Pinstripe Patronage have been common practices at the Turnpike Commission as documented in numerous media publications, journalistic investigations and governmental audits.
On March 13, 2013 , Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane made it official and announced criminal charges against a former Senate Majority Leader five former Turnpike employees, and two businessmen.
The former state officials are accused of using 'pay to play' schemes for financial and political gain. Their criminal acts resulted in the misdirection, misuse, and theft of millions of dollars of public money, according to Kane. Charges have been filed against former State Senator Robert Mellow, former Turnpike Commissioner Mitchell Rubin, former Turnpike Chief Executive Officer Joseph Brimmeier, former Turnpike Chief Operating Officer George Hatalowich, and former Turnpike employees Melvin Shelton and Raymond Zajicek. In addition, charges have been filed against Turnpike vendors Dennis Miller and Jeffrey Suzenski. After a lengthy investigation, the 33rd Statewide Investigating Grand Jury found evidence that the Turnpike Commission has been corrupted by some of its very own officials and by some of the individuals who do business with it. (73)
You can’t have Pay to Play unless somebody “pays” to play and another body makes the deal while nobody enforces the law.
Why are the people who paid to play viewed as victims? Why are Senate staffers who made the deals immune from prosecution as they were in Bonusgate? Why are former Attorney Generals - who were charged with protecting the people’s bank - not investigated for negligence? 28 Conclusion
The Turnpike Commission continues to expend millions of your toll dollars and borrow billions of dollars from your children's future to pay well-connected law firms, financial advisers, campaign contributors and lobbyists.
The answers to what ail the Turnpike do not include floating more bonds, paying more lobbyists or hiring more relatives . We are past makeovers, do overs, audits and mile markers to nowhere.
Perpetuatung a toll war will not lead to economic prosperity or fix a broken system.
Job 1 in is to Sunset Act 44 and pass comprehensive and equitable transportation legislation. An increase in registration fees is less painful than an annual toll COLA.
It’s time we extended the efforts to reform state government by eliminating the Turnpike Commission, and collapse and consolidate its functions into the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. While Penn DOT may not be the permanent parking lot for the PTC, it can provide interim stable and public oversight.
The next course of action is to invest in a comprehensive and proactive plan to address Pennsylvania's commercial, public, and mass transportation challenges. The plan and support staff could be funded by subtracting and redirecting appropriations for the Commission by the amount they spend annually to lobby the legislature.
30 A working group modeled on initiatives sponsored by the Public Utility Commission, and consisting of regulatory stake holders, policy makers and private shareholders, should be empowered to draft a plan of action for Pennsylvania to meet its infrastructure obligations, transportation requirements, and future needs.
We are almost there if you look at the ground work established by current Secretary of Transportation Barry J. Schoch.
Obviously, statewide public input hearings are a necessary component to foster but in and political support. And when the plan is complete, the public will actually have an opportunity to view the document, and comment on an invoice before it becomes a financial albatross.
Former Governor Richard Thornburgh (1979-1987), a Republican from Pittsburgh and the former Attorney General of the United States (1988-1991), got it right when he said: “There is no good argument nowadays to keep it. The turnpike commission is just an anachronism that is no longer necessary.” (74)
31 Endnotes
1 Timothy J. Carson, Turnpike lease of I-80 is best way to fix roads, “Morning Call,” November 23, 2007.
Timothy J. Carson of Philadelphia was the vice chairman of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, a former chairman of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, a former partner at the law firm of Saul Ewing LLP, and a principal in the public policy consulting firm of CHH Partners LLC.
Mr. Carson served on the Turnpike Commission for nine years. He resigned from the Turnpike on February 8, 2009 after he was convicted of two DUIs while on Turnpike issues vehicles in 2003 an d2006. Both incidents involved traffic accidents in which Mr. Carson said he paid for the damages. (“Patriot News,” February 9, 2010)
2 Auditor General Jack Wagner Says Pa. Turnpike’s Dealings in Risky Swaps Has Cost Taxpayers and Motorists At Least $108 Million, January 8, 2013.
3 Interview with Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission Chairman Mark Compton by Jeff Frantz, Patriot News, March 22, 2013.
4 Auditor General Jack Wagner Commends Turnpike Commission for Decision to Print Fares on Tickets, December 23, 2010.
5 Report cites lavish spending by Pa. Turnpike Commission members Angela Couloumbis, “Philadelphia Inquirer”, January 09, 2013
6 Media Contact: Bill Capone, (717) 939-9551 ext. 3040 PA. TURNPIKE COMMISSION APPROVES FIRST TOLL INCREASE IN OVER 13 YEARS, Every penny of the increase will be spent on improving the road. Pennsylvania Turnpike: Harrisburg, Pa. January 21, 2004.
7 Daniel Machalaba, Steep Increases Set for Toll Roads Moves Affect More Than a Third of Highways, Bridges and Tunnels That Currently Charge Fees, “The Wall Street Journal,” April 12, 2005.
32 8 Penn Pike's Joe Brimmeier trumps state Governor - comes out of fight with growing road portfolio,by Peter Samuel, “Toll Road News.”
9 House Bill 1590 passed on July 17, 2007.
10 Auditor General Jack Wagner Says Pa. Turnpike’s Dealings in Risky Swaps Has Cost Taxpayers and Motorists At Least $108 Million, January 8, 2013.
11 Editorial, Turnpike run as a sty for patronage, inefficiency. “Philadelphia Inquirer,” October 29, 1997.
12 Source: Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.
13 Auditor General Jack Wagner Says Pa. Turnpike’s Dealings in Risky Swaps Has Cost Taxpayers and Motorists At Least $108 Million, January 8, 2013.
14 Liberal policy has cost more than $7 million in lost revenue Auditor General's Office, December 10, 2012 .
15 Source: Pennsylvania Department of Education, “Demographic Profile Report: 2005-06 Pupil-Teacher Ratio,” National Center for Services, 2007-2008 and for 2012 please refer to: http://www.statemaster.com/graph/edu_ele_sec_pup_rat-elementary- secondary-pupil-teacher-ratio9
16 Jan Murphy, Top 10 salary lists, “Patriot News,” Monday, April 02, 2007.
17 Jane M. Von Bergen, Ups and Downs of Wages, “Philadelphia Inquirer,” August 13, 2007.
18 MEDIA MURDER Penna pike pounded by Philly paper, Toll Road News, Peter Samuel, December 24, 1997.
19 Auditor Blasts Pennsylvania Toll Road Mismanagement: Motorist toll revenue exploited by Pennsylvania Turnpike officials for personal use, according to state auditor, January 11, 2013. 33 20 Pennsylvania Turnpike commissioners keep getting new cars at public expense Paul Nussbaum, “Philadelphia Inquirer”, January 23, 2013.
21 Source: Bravo Group.
22 Source: Pennsylvania Department of State: Lobbyist Directory.
23 Many steering clear of Pa. turnpike’s 60/40 scandal “Times Leader”, March 16. 2013.
24 Jubelirer's wife quits Turnpike commission, Joe Grata and Tom Gibb “Post-Gazette”, August 07, 1999
25 Eppard Left Tracks in Highway Bill, Juliet Eilperin, “Washington Post,” Saturday, April 11, 1998.
26 Eppard Left Tracks in Highway Bill, Juliet Eilperin, “Washington Post,” Saturday, April 11, 1998.
27 Lobbyist Prospers as Charges Loom, Lorraine Adams, “Washington Post” Staff, April 10, 1999; Page A1.
28 United States v. Sun-Diamond Growers of California, (98-131) 526 U.S. 398 (1999) No. 98—131. Argued March 2, 1999–Decided April 27, 1999138 F.3d 961, affirmed.
29 Congressional Accountability Project, “Ethics Complaint Against Representative Bud Shuster and Call for Investigation into Possible Violations of Criminal Law and House Rules.” Washington, DC : September 5, 1996.
30 Cut taxpayer-funded lobbying, lawmaker says, Melissa Daniels, “PA Independent”, January 31, 2013.
31 House Bill 1085, Regular Session 2013-2014. http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?txtType=PDF &sessYr=2013&sessInd=0&billBody=H&billTyp=B&billNbr=1085&pn=1312
34 32 Source: National Conference of State Legislatures to the Speaker's Commission on Legislative Reform, May 9, 2007.
33 Source: Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission: “Fare Schedule.”
34 “Auditor General Jack Wagner Says Pa. Turnpike’s Dealings in Risky Swaps Has Cost Taxpayers and Motorists At Least $108 Million,” January 8, 2013.
35 Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, Operating Expenses for the Fiscal Year Ending on May 31.
36 Pa. Turnpike board hires compliance chief, Anthony R. Wood, “Philadelphia Inquirer,” September 21, 2012.
37 Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, Operating Expenses for the Fiscal Year Ending on May 31.
38 Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, Operating Expenses for the Fiscal Year Ending on May 31.
39 Thomas Larson a longtime PennDOT head was quoted: “You have a bloated bureaucracy, you have patronage that is egregious, and contracts that are poorly managed” Peter Samuel, “Philadelphia Inquirer”, December 24, 1997.
40 Millions In Contracts Go To The Connected Money-saving Competitive Bidding Is Often Shunned. Pa. Turnpike Officials Say Political Allegiance Often Plays A Role In Who Gets The Commission's Business, Robert Moran and Rich Heidorn Jr., “Philadelphia Inquirer,” October 27, 1997.
41 Gleason Agency, Gleason Company Directory [email protected]
42 Turnpike Commission News Release, “Gleason Departs Turnpike Commission to Assume Post on State Transportation Commission, September 16, 1997.
35 43 Millions In Contracts Go To The Connected Money-saving Competitive Bidding Is Often Shunned. Pa. Turnpike Officials Say Political Allegiance Often Plays A Role In Who Gets The Commission's Business, Robert Moran and Rich Heidorn Jr., “Philadelphia Inquirer,” October 29, 1997.
44 News from Congressman Jack Murtha: District projects funded in House bill. Washington, D.C., March 10, 2005.
45 Tim Darragh, Turnpike project called 'black hole' Mon-Fayette Expressway embodies profligate spending of commission, Legislature. “The Morning Call,” April 19, 2004.
46 Amy Karpinsky, Lawmakers push for funding for expressway link, “Herald Standard,” August 27, 2005.
47 “An Examination of Alternate Uses for Expenditures Related to Expansion of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.” Brunot Consulting, Inc. for Penn Future: Conclusion, January 2004; Updated June 2004.
48 Steve Ferris , Turnpike commission begins property acquisition for expressway section. “Herald-Standard,” April 14, 2003.
49 Questions and Answers: Murtha, Mascara answer questions about spurring economy in Mon Valley, “The Valley Independent”, Monday, May 13, 2002.
50 Tom Barnes, Lawmakers study private investment for roads Plan would ease cost for new infrastructure, “Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,” Tuesday, September 19, 2006.
51 Tim Darragh, Turnpike project called 'black hole' Mon-Fayette Expressway embodies profligate spending of commission, Legislature. “The Morning Call,” April 19, 2004.
52 Pennsylvania Turnpike Chronology:
http://www.paturnpike.com/geninfo/fastfacts/chrono.aspx
36 54 Joe Grata, Three turnpike officials heading to Austria for meeting, “Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,” Thursday, October 04, 2007.
55 Blowup at Penn Pike, COo #2 Kevin Logenbach, goes, Peter Samuel, “Tollroadsnews,” February 19, 2007.
56 Brad Bumsted, They’ve got a friend in Pennsylvania, “Pittsburgh Tribune-Review,” Monday, January 3, 2005.
57 “Tollroadsnews,” Peter Samuel, April 5, 2007.
58 Interview with Mark Compton by Jeff Frantz, “Patriot News”, March 23, 2013.
59 Tom Barnes, Nepotism at Turnpike Commission, “Pittsburgh Post Gazette,” Sunday, April 15, 2007; Brad Bumsted, They’ve got a friend in Pennsylvania, “Pittsburgh Tribune-Review,” Monday, January 3, 2005.
60 Timothy J. Carson, Turnpike lease of I-80 is best way to fix roads, “Morning Call,” November 23, 2007.
61 David Dagan, York County legislators slam transit bill, “Central Penn Business Journal,” January 11, 2008.
62 Brad Bumsted, Expensive projects inflate tolls, gas tax, “Pittsburgh Tribune-Review,” Monday, January 2, 2005.
63 Peter Samuel, Penn Pike's Joe Brimmeier trumps state Governor - comes out of fight with growing road portfolio, TOLL ROADS news 2007- 07-1.
64 Norman S. Rich, Tolls on I-80 would be hard for grocer to swallow, “Centre Daily Times,” August 14, 2007.
65 Timothy J. Carson, Turnpike lease of I-80 is best way to fix roads, “Morning Call,” November 23, 2007.
37 66 “The state's expected pension contribution of about $675 million this year is projected to more than double in five years. More people are expected to join Medicaid rolls. And the state prison population is growing by more than 1,000 a year at an annual cost of about $34,000 per inmate. (Marc Levy Rendell expects difficult year for state budget Though a $1.5 billion shortfall is possible, he is counting on economic growth to avoid it, “Associated Press,” January 22, 2008.)
By 2013, “The combined deficits of PSERS and SERS are estimated to be more than $44 billion. This equates to more than $3,400 per Pennsylvania resident. The combined deficits of PSERS and SERS are estimated to be more than $44 billion. This equates to more than $3,400 per Pennsylvania resident.”
“However, the actual deficits are probably much higher, as most observers think the current 7.5% annual investment return expectation is unduly optimistic.” (Make honest pension reform a priority in Pa., Opinion by Richard C. Dreyfuss, “Philadelphia Inquirer,” February 4, 2013.)
67 Nathan A. Benfield, policy analyst, Commonwealth Foundation, “Analysis of Act 44,” December, 2007.
68 Pennsylvania’s Bid to Toll I-80 Rejected by Feds by Elana Schor, April 6, 2010. http://dc.streetsblog.org/2010/04/06/local-reports/
69 "Response to Request for Expressions of Interest" to PennDOT dated December 22 2006, pp. 5-6 .
70 Ruth Williams, US woes keep local shares in doldrums,“The Age ,” January 13, 2008.
71 Brad Bumsted, Turnpike Commission spends desperately needed cash, “Pittsburgh Tribune,” Monday, January 3, 2005.
72 U.S. Attorney Patrick L. Meehan’s Federal Grand Jury Indictment of Vincent J. Fumo, (February, 2007, p.45 Number 90 & Number 91. )
38 73 Lawmakers push for funding for expressway link, Amy Kapinsky, “Herald Standard,” August 25, 2007.
74 Office of Attorney General, Press Release, March 13, 2013. http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/press.aspx?id=6839
75 Thornburgh: Let PennDOT run the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Tom Fontaine, “Pittsburgh Tribune”, March 31, 2013).
39