Letter to the editor: Gas tax and bridge tolls

Two items in the March 11 print edition pushed me to write. The first was the article “PennDOT picks builders for bridge-tolling project work” and the second was the political cartoon showing Gov. Tom Wolf talking with the GOP about suspending the gas tax.

Let me first discuss the gas tax. If Wolf is asking for the Feds to give a holiday on the tax, he should do the same with Pennsylvania’s high gas tax. Since the tax was added under Gov. Tom Corbett’s administration, we as taxpayers/drivers have not seen any large improvements in state roads. If they have proof, show us where the money is going and where all the improvements have been completed.

As for the tolling of certain bridges to keep them in good repair, this is just another way to hurt those who use them. It will impact local shops near the bridges and put more wear and tear on other local roads from drivers using alternative routes to do a go-around of the tolls.

A solution: reduce the size of the state government and reduce unnecessary spending. I know there is waste; make the state government run more efficiently. Stop making taxpayers foot the bill for a government that is not efficiently run, and that includes the legislative branch. Slim down, save money and be more efficient instead of continuing to reach into our pockets.

Ron Giuliana

North Huntingdon