By Brad Bumsted

Published: Tuesday, February 12, 2013, 9:55 p.m.
Updated: Tuesday, February 12, 2013

HARRISBURG — The Republican and Democratic leaders of the Senate Transportation Committee said Tuesday they favor adding $1 billion to the $1.8 billion road, bridge and transit plan the Corbett administration proposed.

Chairman John Rafferty, a GOP senator from suburban Philadelphia, said raising registration and drivers' license fees is “under very serious consideration.”

There also is a plan to raise motor vehicle fines on infractions from speeding to running stop signs, Rafferty said.

But those measures combined would not produce $1 billion, Rafferty acknowledged, and lawmakers are considering other measures. He declined to disclose what else is under review.

Increases in registration and license fees would restore some revenue lost through inflation, since the fees haven't increased since 1997, Rafferty said.

Asked if he supports adding $1 billion more, Sen. John Wozniak, of Cambria County, ranking Democrat on the transportation committee, said, ”I do.”

But Wozniak said it will be “tough enough” for lawmakers to pass the $1.8 billion plan Gov. Tom Corbett proposed. That plan relies on lifting the cap on the wholesale tax on gas sold to gas stations.

Corbett's Transportation Secretary Barry Schoch said the administration is willing to work “collectively” with the Legislature on the right mix of revenues. However, he said he's already read comments that the governor's plan is “too low or too high.”

Schoch said it's virtually impossible to tell how lifting the wholesale tax cap will affect prices at the pump because prices fluctuate depending on the market. “We don't know and probably never will know the effect on retail prices,” he said.

The Pennsylvania Highway Information Association said lifting the cap might mean about a nickel-per-gallon increase each year over five years if all the increase passes on to consumers.

But Corbett also proposed cuts in the state liquid fuels tax that amounts to 1 cent per gallon less in each of the next two years.

Sen. Rich Alloway, R-Franklin County, said of the governor's overall package, “If we are going to take a bite of the apple, I'd like to take as big of a bite of the apple as we possibly can.”

“I am having a difficult time getting excited about this,” said Sen. Don White, R-Indiana County. It amounts to kicking the can down the road, said White.

Rafferty said legislation proposing adding more revenue to the governor's plan will be introduced in mid-March to early April after budget hearings.

Brad Bumsted is state Capitol reporter for the Tribune-Review. He can be reached at 717-787-1405 and bbumsted@tribweb.com.

1. Wounded veteran gets mortgage-free Dormont house
2. Former Speaker DeWeese expected to remain in prison
3. No bail for parents in faith-healing death
4. $6M in Centax payouts planned
5. WVU students ignore street sign amnesty offer
6. Grandparents providing more care for grandkids
7. 57 W.Pa. hopefuls missed filing deadline, data show
8. Philly smokers, drinkers get ready for tax hit
9. Police: Missing Pennsylvania man may have run off
10. Tornado a warning for schools in Pittsburgh region
11. Rare copy of Bill of Rights could make stop in Pittsburgh

There are currently no comments for this story.
Subscribe today! Click here for our subscription offers.