governor

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is sponsoring a bill to establish a New International Trade Crossing (NITC) Authority to form a partnership with the Canadians and allow the financing of a new Detroit River toll bridge to Canada downriver of the Ambassador. The bill does not give the new state authority a name but we'll call it the NITCA ('nitka') using the Governor's office naming of the project NITC.

Maine Governor Paul Le Page told a town Hall meeting in Westbrook ME Friday that he wanted to do away with the Maine Turnpike Authority and transfer responsibility for the turnpike to the state department of transportation. His statement was received with applause.

The new Michigan Governor Rick Snyder (Republican) has transformed himself in his short few weeks in office from a bridge skeptic to a bridge booster - for the new public-private toll bridge downstream of the Ambassador Bridge. The Governor's press office has taken to putting out statements of support for the new bridge by outside groups and keying them to Snyder's new advocacy line.

Governor Tom Corbett "went ballistic" last week on hearing that the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission had made two senior appointments  without consulting his office. We heard this from two separate sources today. They said independently that Corbett is very angry that the Commission made the appointments before his representative, Barry Schoch could take his position at a Turnpike Commission meeting.

Likely next governor of Maine, Republican Paul LePage favors all-electronic tolling (AET) at the crucial southern leg of the Maine Turnpike (I-95).

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (Repub) today racheted up pressure on the Delaware River Port Authority - a bistate toll bridge operator in Philadelphia with no port but a hemorrhaging suburban rail line PATCO and a variety of 'economic development' rackets - holding a press conference outside its head offices to announce more vetoes of its 'minutes' and to denounce its board of commissioners for fake reforms.

The new Republican administration in Trenton is clashing with the New Jersey Turnpike Authority in a sharp change from years of quiet and harmony under Democrats. Governor Chris Christie today made use of a veto power to block five professional services contracts approved by the Turnpike and issued a strong reprimand:

James McGreevey was a hard charging, order screaming governor who, good or bad, had a lasting impact on American tollroads during his short term in office Jan 2002 to Nov 2004. He came to office promising to consolidate the state's three tollroads into one super-efficient entity.

CORRECTIONS

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