BCT Editorial – 7/21/10

This page was last updated on July 21, 2010.

Double dipping; Editorial; Beaver County Times; July 21, 2010.

If you believe the Times is really bothered by Turnpike users paying higher tolls, I have a bridge to sell you.

The editorial keeps up the Times narrative that tolling I-80 “was rejected by the federal government three times, blowing a $470 million hole in the transportation budget.” The proposal never had a chance because it violates federal law and everyone (the General Assembly, the Governor, and the Times) knew it. Something the Times continues to fail to note is the U.S. DOT likely would have approved tolling I-80 as long as the tolls would have been used only for the “care and feeding” of I-80 as required by federal law. That wasn’t enough for PA, however. The Governor, General Assembly, and the Times wanted I-80 tolls to be used to transfer wealth from I-80 drivers to users of other roads and government-owned and -run bus systems like BCTA and PAT.

By referring to “welfare queens in the northern tier of the Pennsylvania ‘T’,” the Times is back to name-calling. Among previous editorials on this topic were those entitled “Freeloaders,” “Leeches,” “Welfare leeches,” and “Welfare queens” [7/7/09 (No critique - I was on vacation - and no longer on the Times website), 5/21/08, and 8/14/07]. Of course the Times fails to acknowledge these “welfare queens” would be paying tolls on I-80 right now were it not for the Times own greed and that of the GA and Governor. As noted above, the feds would have approved tolling I-80 as long as the tolls would have been used only for the “care and feeding” of I-80.

Finally, the Times complaining that Turnpike users are being “double-dipped” to make up for I-80 drivers not paying up is hysterical for at least two reasons. First, I-80 drivers would be paying tolls were it not for the greed and actions of the Times itself and its fellow travelers in PA government. Second, the whole reason the Times wants drivers on I-80 to pay tolls is to make up for users of government-owned and -run bus systems like BCTA and PAT not paying up. Class, how do we spell hypocrisy? B-e-a-v-e-r C-o-u-n-t-y T-i-m-e-s.