PA Gov Rendell accepts that legislature won't consider enabling legislation for Turnpike lease until the fall

Pennsylvania Governor Rendell has accepted that the state legislature won't consider enabling legislation in time to accept the legally binding Abertis-Citi bid of $12.8b which expires June 20. He told reporters yesterday: "There isn't enough time (this month) to have the General Assembly review the Turnpike lease."

State legislative leaders say they are giving priority in the remainder of their present legislative session (sceduled to get up for the summer June 28) to the state budget, health insurance and other matters.

The Governor now says he's hoping the chosen concessionaire's offer will hold up until the autumn session of the legislature - September through October.

By then he is likely to have a USDOT ruling on the application to toll I-80. If, as expected, USDOT says the application doesn't meet the requirements of federal law on tolling free interstates, then his case for the lease will be much stronger - $1,100m vs $450m/year

TOLLROADSnews 2008-06-04