The Express - "Race for the 5th"

News Article

The Express - "Race for the 5th"

Today, The Express presents responses from the 12 candidates seeking the Fifth Congressional District seat on the issue of tolling Interstate 80. We asked: "What are your feelings on the proposed tolling of Interstate 80? What options do you favor for funding highway improvements and bridge repairs?"

Bill Cahir (Democrat)

I am opposed to any tolling of I-80 or our federal highway system. The federal government should be funding the repairs to our federal highways and bridges across the country with the current allocated budget. Tolling is an extra burden upon small businesses in our region and will hurt jobs. By fully funding the repair and construction needs of I-80, we create more jobs right here at home.

Chris Exarchos (Republican)

Interstate 80 connects our district and brings people, goods and investment to our area. We have businesses that are here because of the easy access to I-80. Adding to their costs may drive them and their customers away. Tolls would have a negative impact, and the high tolls that have been suggested could devastate our local economy. As your congressman, I will take every opportunity to prevent those tolls from being implemented.

Our state and federal fuel taxes need to be spent on the highways and bridges that are the lifeblood of our district and not on mass transit systems in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

John Krupa (Republican)

Interstate 80 must not become a toll road. The Highway Trust Fund has used more than $101 billion for projects that were beyond the scope of the fund and not of the original intent when the fund was established. The fund has been used for bike paths, walking paths and downtown beautification efforts, which all are admirable and important, but not part an intended use of these dollars. The government needs to replace those funds and only use them as originally intended.

Mark McCracken (Democrat)

As a county commissioner for one of the counties that I-80 runs through, I recognize the negative impact tolling would have on our efforts to attract economic development and tourism to central Pennsylvania. It would also drive up costs for our existing businesses that utilize I-80 and would lead to traffic congestion on our rural roads and communities as vehicles would find alternate routes to avoid paying the tolls. As for funding options, I think our leaders in Harrisburg need to reevaluate their priorities and decide where highway funding and bridge repair ranks on their list of funding priorities. If we are in an infrastructure crisis, then we need to take funding from other sources to solve the road and bridge problem.

Lou Radkowski (Republican)

Interstate 80 is the main artery supplying commerce and tourism to our district. My record is consistent in saying that tolling I-80 will adversely affect our local and state economies; forcing businesses to utilize other routes to transport their goods. Tolling I-80 is a step in the wrong direction. Likewise, selling or leasing I-80 to a foreign-run entity would be counterproductive to the business interests of our region.

While in Washington, I will work in a bipartisan effort to understand the fiscal crisis with our highway and road infrastructure. Government leaders must be accountable for fiscal and legislative decisions. I will ensure that we have balanced budgets and safeguards in place to eliminate wasteful government spending. I support the resolution, which was recently introduced in the Pennsylvania House, which is to fund highway, and bridge repairs by using money from the Motor License Fund. This bipartisan legislation is a step in the right direction to fiscal responsibility.

Keith Richardson (Republican)

I unequivocally oppose tolling I-80. Doing so would utterly wreck the already fragile economy of the 5th District. Tolling is just a fancy word for taxing, and our families and businesses are already taxed to the breaking point. Tolling would make Pennsylvania even more unfriendly to the businesses and young families that we desperately need to rebuild our

economy. Money has been available all along to fund highway improvements and bridge repairs, but has been grossly mismanaged by diverting such funds to other projects like "highway beautification" and subsidizing mass transit in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. We should lease the turnpike, which would raise billions to instead of spending them, and we should eliminate the corrupt and negligent Turnpike Commission.

Matt Shaner (Republican)

I am adamantly opposed to the tolling of Interstate 80. Tolling Interstate 80 would have a significant negative impact on the economy, on the 5th District, and all of Pennsylvania. Congressman Peterson has stepped out and taken a strong stand against this disastrous piece of legislation. The revenue from the tolling would end up funding the public transportation systems around Philadelphia and Pittsburgh at the cost of economic growth and jobs here in the 5th District.

Even though I oppose the tolling of Interstate 80, the funding of our transportation infrastructure is vital to our safety and economy. I believe that privatizing the Pennsylvania Turnpike would be a much better option for funding our transportation infrastructure. The turnpike is already a toll road so the economic impact would not be as significant as the tolling of Interstate 80. The current bill being drafted states that if we privatize the turnpike, car fares will have to be kept in line with inflation and the company that leases the turnpike must be from the Unites States. Leasing the turnpike would provide millions of dollars for highway and bridge repair, make the management of the turnpike more efficient, and not have a negative impact the economy of rural Pennsylvania.

Jeff Stroehmann (Republican)

I will remain vigilant and work to stop any efforts to toll Interstate 80. These actions do not promote a business-friendly environment and therefore limit the 5th District's ability to market itself to potential companies looking to invest in our region. This is just another example of the looting of rural Pennsylvania taxpayers to subsidize major mass transit dysfunction in urban Pennsylvania. Congress needs to reevaluate the funding strategy that it uses to determine how much money each state receives from the federal government in order to cover its transportation needs.

My plan for the "Reinvention of Pennsylvania" includes utilizing our railroad infrastructure. My plan calls for increased use of long-haul rail to short-haul trucking. Our roads are perennially in disrepair with maintenance costs increasing every year. Rail is tremendously eco-friendly, cost effective and efficient. With more short haul trucking, we reduce wear and tear on our roads and also create an opportunity for more truck drivers to be home with their families more often, since their routes are so much shorter.

John Stroup (Republican)

Pennsylvania's transportation woes go far beyond the current debate over whether or not to toll Interstate 80. There can be no debate about our state's deteriorating bridges, congested highways, and unsafe roads that put the traveling public at risk while increasing the cost of doing business here in Pennsylvania. Ignoring these problems has cost us tens of millions — but the state's only answer to these problems now is to add another tax, this time as a toll, to pay for their negligence.

I have fought tolling on I-80 alongside Congressman Peterson since last summer, and it is a fight I will be proud to continue in Washington, D.C. Tolling is not the promised solution — indeed, diverting trucks into our towns could lead to even greater challenges in the future. We need to focus our investments — federal, state and local dollars, on our real challenges. Improving highway safety, reducing congesting and fixing roads and bridges that that need maintenance should be our priorities — not wasteful bureaucracies and unnecessary projects.

Glenn Thompson (Republican)

I will aggressively advance the opposition to Interstate 80 tolling initiated by Congressman John Peterson. We must absolutely prevent the tolling of Interstate 80. Tolling on Interstate 80 would have a negative impact on our industries. The businesses of our district would experience significant cost increases directly due to the transportation of incoming needed resources and outgoing goods. In our rural communities, local citizens depend on the interstate for work and personal travel. Commercial transportation will be forced off the interstate and onto secondary roads due to the cost of tolls. When this occurs, safety on secondary state and municipal roads will be compromised. We must keep our industry transportation rolling, keep travel affordable for local citizens and keep secondary roads safe! A minimum of $500 million is taken from the Pennsylvania Road and Bridge Fund annually and shifted to the state-operating budget. These monies should be retained and invested as they were intended in the important infrastructure of bridge and highways.

Rick Vilello (Democrat)

I am against tolling Interstate 80 as are all 12 candidates. I believe it would impact rural Pennsylvania unfairly. I especially think that it would impact Central PA Auto Auction, the Lamar Township Industrial Park, First Quality Products and all the progress we've been making in Clinton County. I think Congress and the president should authorize a second economic stimulus plan because $600 isn't going to be enough. The new stimulus plan should take $150 billion and divide it up proportionately among the states and invest the $3 billion per state into infrastructure improvements, i.e.: roads, bridges, rail, sewer and water. This would create real middle-class jobs, stimulating the economics of small communities like Lock Haven, and all areas around the state and country. The current way we as a state and country invest in infrastructure is neither effective nor efficient.

Derek Walker (Republican)

I pledge to continue to fight against the tolling of Interstate 80 even if it means action in federal court. Interstate 80 serves as an economic lifeline for northwestern and central Pennsylvania and placing tolls on the highway would cripple the regions economy.

Governor Rendell and the legislature used very poor judgment when they passed Act 44. The governor's plan to place tolls on I-80 would simply send more money to fund mass transit just as he shifted $500 million in federal highway funds designated for road repairs in 2005. Rural Pennsylvanian's are fed up with paying for the state's mass transit crisis. I am firmly committed to keeping I-80 toll free and I urge the U.S. Department of Transportation to reject the state's proposal to place tolls on I-80.

I believe that the future of new highway construction should involve a public/private partnership to raise revenues for our road and bridge system. There are a number of examples where Federal and State governments have partnered with private enterprise to improve our aging roads and bridges, and as your next Congressman, I will fight to improve our infrastructure without raising taxes or imposing tolls to pay for it.

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