Recently we encountered a couple of op-ed articles worth reading. One was by PennDOT Secretary Leslie Richards explaining the importance of addressing the State Police funding issue.

In it, she pointed out something that most of our Coalition members know, but that many Pennsylvanians probably don’t: that Pennsylvania is rare among the 50 states in having a dedicated transportation fund.

We know it as the Motor License Fund, where fuel taxes and license and registration fees are directed, to be used for highway purposes. The approach assures that those who use the transportation system pay for its construction and upkeep, and the more they use it, the more they pay.

The second op-ed article was submitted by APC’s Bob Latham, who noted that public-private partnerships that alter the financing model for transportation projects do not eliminate the need for a funding stream to pay for the projects. It seems that P-3 proponents sometimes lose sight of that fact.

Both articles may be found below.

Transportation Issue Update