You think its bad for PAT now, it's about to get A LOT WORSE! (Philadelphia: 2013, metro area)

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

Then the people will tell Corbett "You're Gone, Go Away"....He works for the people of PA, not the other way around.

I don't imagine he cares about being re-elected. The Drill, Baby, Drill industry has undoubtedly offered him the sinecure of a lifetime.

[Blackbeauty212]

Originally Posted by jay5835

I doubt he cares about being re-elected. The Drill, Baby, Drill industry has undoubtedly offered him the sinecure of a lifetime.

If that's the case don't even bother running again, just hand it over, if his only goal was to see how much destruction in PA he could do in 4 yrs and to serve Marcellus Shales Tax interests.

[raubre]

Originally Posted by jay5835

I don't imagine he cares about being re-elected. The Drill, Baby, Drill industry has undoubtedly offered him the sinecure of a lifetime.

If he doesn't care about being re-elcted, why did he run for a first term to begin with?

[BrianTH]

So here is my cautiously-optimistic/no-guarantees read on what might be going on:

We've known for a long time that Corbett's election campaign put him in an impossible situation. On the one hand, he promised no tax increases. On the other hand, he suggested he would maintain the state's transportation system, and certainly didn't tell people he intended to let it fall apart before his eyes. The problem is that without measures to increase revenues, the state's transportation system is in fact going to fall apart (PAT is just one part of that overall problem).

Corbett's initial gambit was to stall for time. He appointed a commission to explore options (classic stalling technique #1), but unfortunately last summer they eventually came back explaining the state needed to increase revenues. He said he needed time to study the commission's recommendations (classic stalling technique #2), but last fall the legislature started to move on those recommendations anyway. He killed those legislative efforts on the ground the economy was too weak (classic stalling technique #3), but public pressure began to build, and meanwhile it is hard not to notice the economy is improving. He just recently admitted a solution was necessary, but that the problem was too big to deal with in his budget (classic stalling technique #4), but public pressure is still mounting and the legislature is still itching to do something.

Nonetheless, the problem remains that if he gives the general public what it is demanding--a sustainable solution to the transportation funding crisis--he will be savaged by the Tea Party types for violating his taxation promises.

In an impossible situation like that, there is no telling how much damage can be done, and practically speaking, you need to try to find the politician being squeezed a face-saving path out. And it looks to me like that path is now being defined: assuming the legislature does work out a plan and Corbett signs on, he will explain to the Tea Party types that they "won" because he was able to use all this leverage to "force" the transit authorities to "beat" the unions in negotiations.

Of course for all we know the transit authorities will be getting the exact same deal they would have gotten anyway. But again, the point is to give Corbett some sort of facing-saving Culture War "victory" he can offer up to the Tea Party types in order to at least help blunt the blowback from violating his tax promises.

And, as usual, we have to hope Corbett isn't just angling for a show on Fox.

[Debbie1125]

On the one hand, he promised no tax increases.

While this isn't directly a tax increase on ALL Pennsylvanians, it does affect those who make purchases from online retailers. Starting in September, the state will begin collecting the sales tax when you order from online retailers. It's expected to bring in $400 million in revenue.

Maybe that extra $400 million could be used to help mass transit avoid service cuts and fare increases.

[UKyank]

Originally Posted by Debbie1125

On the one hand, he promised no tax increases.

While this isn't directly a tax increase on ALL Pennsylvanians, it does affect those who make purchases from online retailers. Starting in September, the state will begin collecting the sales tax when you order from online retailers. It's expected to bring in $400 million in revenue.

Maybe that extra $400 million could be used to help mass transit avoid service cuts and fare increases.

Luckily the collection will still only apply to businesses with a physical location in the state.

[Debbie1125]

Originally Posted by UKyank

Luckily the collection will still only apply to businesses with a physical location in the state.

UK, thanks for this information. I thought it was all online sites.

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by raubre

If he doesn't care about being re-elcted, why did he run for a first term to begin with?

To receive said sinecure. Marcellus Shale put at least a million into his campaign. He is in office to serve their interests. Period.

[squarian]

Originally Posted by jay5835

To receive said sinecure. Marcellus Shale put at least a million into his campaign. He is in office to serve their interests. Period.

Elected officials were blatantly for sale for most of Pennsylvania's history. Uncle Tom is simply honoring an old tradition.

[expdxer]

From an article in today's Post-Gazette. There is just one paragraph mentioning the Port Authority, at the end. At least they're talking.

"The governor is meeting today with Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and Port Authority CEO Steve Bland to discuss the transit agency's budget woes, and will attend tomorrow's St. Patrick's Day parade with Vice President Joe Biden before flying to Europe on a trade mission."

Corbett to Pitt students: 'I don't have the money' - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette