This page was last updated on April 8, 2010.
Rejection of tolls will prove costly; Oren M. Spiegler; Beaver County Times; April 8, 2010.
Mr. Spiegler is such a prolific letter writer the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review gave him a little tribute back in 2003. Google “Oren M. Spiegler” and you’ll get more hits than you know what to do with. Unfortunately, prolific is not a synonym for competent. Mr. Spiegler claims to be a Republican. In my critique of “Breathing more freely,” I cited reasons why I was “beginning to believe Mr. Spiegler is simply another Republican impersonator,” but he sealed the deal with “Greatest foreign policy debacle.” Subsequent letters have been more confirmation, including this one.
Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.
“I am surprised and disappointed that the Obama administration has joined its predecessor in denying Pennsylvania the right to impose tolls on Interstate 80, and I fear that this action could portend a death sentence for unlucky motorists and their passengers.
“The commonwealth had proposed this toll in order to raise millions more for road and bridge repair and maintenance, a primary function of government that is not optional, and which facilitates driver safety.
“Where will we get the money to provide proper care for vital thoroughfares? The answer is that we will are not likely to get it, certainly not now.
“No politician who wishes to be re-elected will raise taxes in an election year, and we are already facing the loss of federal funding to prop up our staggering state, plus billions of dollars in new annual tax liability to pay for enhanced public pensions unwisely approved by a majority of state elected officials and spendthrift then-Gov. Tom Ridge in 2001.
“Attorney General Tom Corbett, a fine man, has made the unrealistic pledge that if elected governor, he would not ever raise taxes.
“We are one step closer to a calamity today as we gamble on structurally unsound roads and bridges.”
[RWC] Please read my critique of “Road block” for my comments.
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