Governor working to strip WV Turnpike of pork
Posted Mon, 2007-04-16 11:45
West Virginia Joe Manchin says he's committed to returning the state's parkway authority to what he calls "its core and original mission" of running the state Turnpike.
In the past year there has been mounting criticism of financial mess made by the authority's decade and a half long involvement in tourism and economic development - political euphemisms for putting money into marginal business projects most of which turn out to be lossmakers.
These non-turnpike activities are to be closed down or transferred to other state departments.
In a speech last week in Bluefields he said: "“I don’t want money diverted that we collect from those toll booths to go to any other entity. With the turnpike, we are going to shed everything we can off of it."
Manchin personally chaired a meeting of the authority board of directors last Thursday to symbolize his commitment to cleaning up the Turnpike. He is following closely the recommendations of a consultants report from Public Resources Advisory Group which is prominently displayed for download on his website:
http://www.wvgov.org
Gov Manchin March 28 vetoed a bill to give the legislature power to veto toll increases decided upon by the authority. He said to allow legislators to control toll rates would violate the terms of Turnpike bonds, laying the state open to litigation it might lose, and increasing the cost of issuing bonds in the future.
Greg Barr executive director of the authority supported the governor saying his words followed closely legal opinion received by the authority.
The governor accompanied his veto with the pledge to return the authority to its mission of running the turnpike. The controversial arts and crafts center Tamarack sponsored by the Turnpike will have its debt paid down by sale of authority investments and transferred to the state Commerce department.
Manchin says toll increases are inevitable at some point but he won't support them until the authority is put on a sounder economic footing.
TOLLROADSnews 2007-04-16
In the past year there has been mounting criticism of financial mess made by the authority's decade and a half long involvement in tourism and economic development - political euphemisms for putting money into marginal business projects most of which turn out to be lossmakers.
These non-turnpike activities are to be closed down or transferred to other state departments.
In a speech last week in Bluefields he said: "“I don’t want money diverted that we collect from those toll booths to go to any other entity. With the turnpike, we are going to shed everything we can off of it."
Manchin personally chaired a meeting of the authority board of directors last Thursday to symbolize his commitment to cleaning up the Turnpike. He is following closely the recommendations of a consultants report from Public Resources Advisory Group which is prominently displayed for download on his website:
http://www.wvgov.org
Gov Manchin March 28 vetoed a bill to give the legislature power to veto toll increases decided upon by the authority. He said to allow legislators to control toll rates would violate the terms of Turnpike bonds, laying the state open to litigation it might lose, and increasing the cost of issuing bonds in the future.
Greg Barr executive director of the authority supported the governor saying his words followed closely legal opinion received by the authority.
The governor accompanied his veto with the pledge to return the authority to its mission of running the turnpike. The controversial arts and crafts center Tamarack sponsored by the Turnpike will have its debt paid down by sale of authority investments and transferred to the state Commerce department.
Manchin says toll increases are inevitable at some point but he won't support them until the authority is put on a sounder economic footing.
TOLLROADSnews 2007-04-16