Transportation blog needs a dozen worthy volunteers and contributors

This current events blog outsources chatter on transportation to a sister blog, http://Ratsburgh.blogspot.com. The issue of transportation stretches from roads, potholes, river-traffic, light-rail extension, PAT's doomsday budgets, Mon Valley Toll Road and bikeways, to name a few.

We need a number of others willing to chime in on these matters, posting pointers and insights, at that blog. Interested? Willing?

Seems as if the special session to the legislature called for by both Jake Wheatly and Don Walko isn't happening in 2004. Snip from the New Pgh Courier:

Steve Mishkin, spokesman for House leader Sam Smith, R-Punxutawney, said the session is over and the governor is to blame.

“The administration would not do a supplemental, they wanted permanent taxes and fees as a temporary fix,” he said. “The governor can use surplus Intergovernmental Transfer Funds to tide PAT and SEPTA over. There’s $250 million right there and he doesn’t need legislative approval.”

In a letter sent to Rendell Nov. 12, Smith noted the legislature held off on discussing transit funding at Rendell’s request until an audit of SEPTA and PAT was completed. “Having just indicated (Nov. 22) that you received the final audit report Nov. 12, I am concerned that it has not been shared with either the House or Senate Transportation committees, or leadership as far as I know,” said Smith. “This information may have been helpful as we sought to reach an agreement on temporary funding for public transportation.”

Smith said he remains committed to working on further dedicated funding for mass transit early in the next session and urged Rendell to use the funds at his disposal, which he would have to do anyway since his proposed taxes would not yet be available.

“If using any of these funds truly creates a secondary problem, I propose we consider any transfer as a loan, which can be subsequently addressed during the general budget process,” he said.

PAT spokesperson Judy McNeil said the staff is assembling its public comment report for the board of directors and has put the process in motion to increase fares, cut service and layoff 500 employees by March.

“With nothing happening in Harrisburg, there is not enough we can do administratively to close a $30 million budget deficit,” she said. “On (Nov. 21) SEPTA sent out 1,400 pink slips. So it’s pretty gloomy around here.”

Too many secrets, closed door meetings and double-dealings

Rendell's double-dealing by the Trib's Brad Bumsted: It was one more public relations nightmare for Gov. Ed Rendell. ... Rendell had a secret plan for a commuter income tax.

Only with the legislature's blessing could a commuter income tax be pursued. But the legislature won't bless anything Tom Murphy champions. This plan wasn't solid for the city nor the region. But even if Murphy had figured out how to cure cancer, The Murphy/Rendell/O'Connor plan would not get a reception in Harrisburg.

It's obvious that Rendell and/or the Murphy administration were angling for a loophole in the law. These guys try to wiggle past the letter of the law. And, at the other end of the spectrum are others who would rather value the spirit of the law and do the best things on the basis of a higher calling.

House members insisted on the provision because they don't trust Rendell. (And Tom Murphy too.)

A disaster for Rendell is that his credibility - and his top staff's - was already damaged in negotiations with legislative leaders during the final weekend of the session. Senate Republicans aren't sure how they can deal with Rendell in the future based on how he botched things with what they say was a disorganized agenda with shifting priorities.

Rendell and Tom Murphy are good together. They broke campaign laws together. They spin each other's lies together. A special on the city cable tv shows Rendell giving a big check to the city and Rendell says how he is unaware of anyone in the city raising the white flag and leaving. None. I don't know how he can say that with a straight face.
Stephen MacNett, counsel for Senate Republicans, said he hadn't seen such a poor effort since the tail end of Democrat Gov. Milton Shapp's administration (1971-79.) He called it "a shameful performance by the front office."

Speaking of Comcast, Rendell was demanding a huge annual tax break for cable giant Comcast in Philadelphia.

The flap over the conference call was an example of "what we've been dealing with. He (Rendell) says one thing, then he's running around doing something else.