Tea partiers and ultra-conservatives want to gut transportation funding bill

[BPP1999]

Originally Posted by fisheye

Before your Turnpike; Ohio rebuilt the bridge over the Lake Meander Reservoir about seven years ago. That bridge was just about half a mile long with twenty one piers. The new bridge was a wide three lane highway. About the same time as Ohio was working on the Eastern span; PA was rebuilding one two lane bridge on I-80 near Blakeslee. Our bridge was only about two hundred feet long (if that) and two narrow lanes wide. It took Ohio just about one year and it took us just about the same time. It should take a lot longer to build three lanes, 2600 hundred feet long, than two lanes, 200 feet long. That is why I like Ohio roadwork + the delays for traffic were manageable in Ohio; compared to miles of backup in PA.

And that I would suggest is the union problem that we have here in PA. The unions are calling the shots on jobs and the politicians, even the Republicans, turn their backs. The increase in the prevailing wage threshold to $100k was more symbolic and won't deal with the underlying issue. The prevalence and power of unions is one area that PA acts more like a Northeastern state.

[pman]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

And again pman where is the analysis taking into the account the many things I have mentioned? The only data I have seen is based on cars per day....

we're talking about tax revenue not cars per day. you have no analysis just a religious belief. when you have a fact let me know

[pman]

ohio also has prevailing wage (minimum $200k, Md $500k, Va none)
http://www.dol.gov/whd/state/dollar.htm
according to the reason foundation link I posted earlier, Ohio spends about 10% more capital per mile than PA for bridges. perhaps the better roadwork is a function of paying more

otoh, VA, with no prevailing wage laws, is well below OH and PA in cost and likely as a result, above in road condition

[Debbie1125]

Originally Posted by mancat100

Here's a money saving solution for the rural tea baggers. Let's immediately cease any state contribution for paving or maintaining all rural roads and bridges (except Interstates). That will save an immense amount of money and possibly negate the need for this tax increase. If that idea is disagreeable to you tea baggers, then just shut up and pay the tax. Seriously. Enough of this crap.

I agree 100%.

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by pman

when you have a fact let me know

You're the only stating it as fact. I've raised very reasonable issues with your "facts".

[pman]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

You're the only stating it as fact. I've raised very reasonable issues with your "facts".

no you just stuck your head in the sand.

[mancat100]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

Those people are paying taxes just like you.



Shut Up! The Liberal Argument. I love this video.


Andrew Klavan: Shut Up. - YouTube

Coalman, that video was weak. Lots of half truths disguised as a reasoned argument.

[ki0eh]

PENNDOT is actually a fairly cost effective organization for what it does. Bear in mind in PA the state (in most areas) has responsibility for what in other states are county roads. PA takes advantage of significant economies of scale as a result but not easy to tease out of apples vs. pears cost figures compared to other states. PENNDOT also manages to stick municipalities, utilities, and developers with some of its marginal costs. Burdening the Turnpike with cash transfers to PENNDOT is stupidly unsustainable, but that wasn't Corbett's idea.

Public works projects operate with an expensive burden of social and environmental requirements. Strangely, no one seems to want comprehensively to look at how necessary protections can be maintained more intelligently and cheaply.

Or maybe it's not so strange, any constituency good government ever had has evaporated in the cannibalistic feast of the last 40 years of American history. Now it's just the people on the roof pointing and laughing as the rest of us saw the bottom rungs off the ladder. First welfare, then unemployment, now prevailing wage. The megaphones from on top blame ills on the folks occupying the next lower rung. Unlike the Progressives of 100 years ago those up above have forgotten how stuck they are on their unsustainable perch.