Penn Pike's lobbying again questioned
Posted Tue, 2008-01-22 21:22
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission's lobbying activities are the subject of critical reporting again. An article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (2008-01-22) by Joe Grata reports that last year the Commission spent $396k lobbying in Washington DC and $316k on state lobbying. Lobbying is officially termed government relations.
The Commission's director of government relations John Martino is on $132k/yr, Grata reports.
Commission CEO Joseph Brimmeier is quoted: "We're one of the largest tolling agencies in the world, and we go after the big dollars. In order to do that, we hire professionals ... the best we can find."
Commission spokesman Bill Capone: "(Critics) can characterize lobbying any way they want, but look at the results. Based on the federal funding earmarks we've received, it's been money well spent."
Capone cited $79m in federal money for the Mon-Fayette Expressway and Southern Beltway in southwestern Pennsylvania, $76m for a new turnpike/I-95 interchange in the northeast of the state, and $25m for intelligent transportation systems.
Many state toll agencies express pride in NOT being a burden on taxpayers through relying on tolls alone. The Pennsylvania Turnpike was self-financing with tolls until about 1990.
TOLLROADSnews 2008-01-22
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission's lobbying activities are the subject of critical reporting again. An article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (2008-01-22) by Joe Grata reports that last year the Commission spent $396k lobbying in Washington DC and $316k on state lobbying. Lobbying is officially termed government relations. The Commission's director of government relations John Martino is on $132k/yr, Grata reports.
Commission CEO Joseph Brimmeier is quoted: "We're one of the largest tolling agencies in the world, and we go after the big dollars. In order to do that, we hire professionals ... the best we can find."
Commission spokesman Bill Capone: "(Critics) can characterize lobbying any way they want, but look at the results. Based on the federal funding earmarks we've received, it's been money well spent."
Capone cited $79m in federal money for the Mon-Fayette Expressway and Southern Beltway in southwestern Pennsylvania, $76m for a new turnpike/I-95 interchange in the northeast of the state, and $25m for intelligent transportation systems.
Many state toll agencies express pride in NOT being a burden on taxpayers through relying on tolls alone. The Pennsylvania Turnpike was self-financing with tolls until about 1990.
TOLLROADSnews 2008-01-22