Pennsylvania Democrats Trying To Raise Money For Transportation Repairs

By Tony Romeo

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) – A group of Democratic state lawmakers is making the latest attempt to jump-start the issue of raising more money for roads, bridges and mass transit in Pennsylvania.

Governor Corbett impaneled a commission to study transportation funding last year but, citing a poor economy, decided not to act on its recommendations which include lifting a cap on wholesale gasoline taxes and increasing vehicle fees.

A group of Democratic House members – including Pittsburgh’s Dan Frankel – says if there’s an economic cost for acting on transportation funding, there is an economic cost for not acting as well.

“Who’s going to want to come and invest in our Commonwealth if the entire infrastructure of the state – the ability to move people, to move goods and products around – is totally marginalized because of a deteriorated infrastructure,” Frankel said.

He and his colleagues are introducing the recommendations of the governor’s transportation funding panel in bill form, much the same way a key Republican senator did last fall, in an unsuccessful attempt to prompt discussion of the issue.