Penn Pike Commission supporters fail in move to force vote on lease in legislature

Turnpike Commission supporters in the Pennsylvania legislature made an odd move Wednesday - introducing a measure which if passed would have instructed the Governor and state ("Commonwealth") officials to execute the Concession and Lease Agreement announced May 19th. The move was easily defeated by 185 to 12.

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The surprise Turnpike lease measure was tacked onto a minor bill (HB2158) authorizing some small exchange of land "situate (sic) in" the Borough of Milford in Pike County for the state DOT. It was apparently an attempt to demonstrate a lack of support for the lease concession.

However supporters of the lease including the Governor immediately denounced the measure, saying it was premature and that there needed to be hearings and discussion of the proposed legislation and the concession contract before any vote.

They called it a foolish move without any chance of success.

After the vote the Governor's spokesman Chuck Rendell said: "We urged defeat of the amendment and we are pleased it lost. The administration supports a full hearing of the lease proposal and this amendment attempted to prevent that."

The ranking Republican on the House Transportation Committee Rick Geist and a cautious supporter of the leasing said that the legislature needs full information before voting.

A spokesman for the potential concessionaire Pennsylvania Transportation Partners (Abertis-Citi) Jim Courtovich said it was "nothing more than a political trick by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission."

Turnpike CEO Joe Brimmeier has become almost a fixture in the hallways of the state Capitol in recent weeks, and the surprise amendment was reportedly his idea.

Courtovich said the defeat of the Turnpike Commission move showed that most in the legislature want an open informed debate on the lease.

“Surely, the opportunity for the commonwealth to receive an up-front payment of $12.8 billion to help fix roads and bridges – the largest such deal in U.S. history – is worthy of an open and transparent debate. That is what we are seeking."

There is also a move in the Senate for a resolution expressing opposition to the lease being organized by Senator Charles McIlhinney.

It is unclear that these moves ahead of hearings and debate help opponents of the lease. They make it look as though they are afraid of a debate.

Committee to hold hearings on Turnpike lease legislation

The state house transportation committee will hold the first hearings June 26 on enabling legislation for a 75 lease of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune Review newspaper. Dwight Evans (Dem, Philadelphia) longtime chair of the house appropriations committee sponsored the legislation and will testify.

A $12.8b offer for the lease by Abertis and Citi formally expires this Friday (June 20) but it seems accepted that the substance of the offer will remain in play until the fall session of the legislature through September.

TOLLROADSnews 2008-06-18