In his op-ed “The truth behind the turnpike nightmare” (Feb. 22, TribLIVE), Matthew Brouillette of the Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entrepreneurs mentions former state Senate President Pro Tempore Bob Jubelirer — the same senator who vowed that the turnpike would never connect directly to Interstate 70 at Breezewood without passing through the mess at Breezewood. He won of course, and the turnpike does not connect directly to U.S. 219 at Somerset or Interstate 99 at Bedford.
As a retired construction worker who had the opportunity to work out of Western Pennsylvania, I found many ways to avoid the bottlenecks created by my tax dollars. Still, the quickest and safest way to travel is the interstate system.
Brouillette also mentioned Act 44. This is genius. The governor and legislators both knew the feds would never allow Interstate 80 to be tolled. Tolling I-80 is key to the funding of Act 44. Still, the act passed. This law took the responsibility of raising the taxes out of the constitutionally mandated requirement that the Legislature raise revenue. The Legislature and the governor are free to spend that money.
Charles Herold
Middlesex