For Whom I-80 Tolls

First, there’s this from the Turnpike Commissioner:

(Philadelphia Inquirer) Trying to blunt growing opposition to tolls on Interstate 80, the Pennsylvania Turnpike chief yesterday promised that no revenue from that road would be used to fund mass transit.

Joseph G. Brimmeier, chief executive officer of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, said a clause would be written into a lease with the state Department of Transportation, directing that all money raised from I-80 be spent on highway projects around the state.

Then there's this from the Pennsylvania House Appropriations Committee chairman:

"It'll never get out of my committee, put it that way." — Rep. Dwight Evans, D-Philadelphia, on the prospects for repealing the recently authorized tolls for Interstate 80.

Unlike the governor and Rep. Evans, the Turnpike Chief Executive Officer appears to “get it”. Highway funds should not be siphoned off to fund the mass transit black holes at each end of the state.