Randy Tetrick – 11/29/06

This page was last updated on November 29, 2006.

Leasing of roads is foolish; Randy Tetrick; Beaver County Times; November 29, 2006.

I’m not getting into whether leasing one or more PA roads makes sense. The point of this critique is to show the problems with Mr. Tetrick’s letter.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“I have learned very disturbing news that our state is considering the notion of leasing our highway infrastructure to Spanish and Australian companies like Macquarie Infrastructure Group.

“As a voter, I would like to know what gives these politicians the right to lease our highways for 50-plus years when Pennsylvania tax dollars paid to build and maintain these highways. All I can see is a bunch of politicians who found an easy way to make money but have given no thought as to what might happen in the future?”

[RWC] Where does Mr. Tetrick think the money from the leases would go? He appears to believe the proceeds would go into the pockets of politicians.

“Can these politicians guarantee that these companies do not some hidden plan to shut this country down because they control the highways? Has history not taught this country anything about war rule No. 1 - take control the roads, ports and air and shut them down from the inside? We do this all the time by force when we invade a country, except we are going to hand them the keys to the highways.”

[RWC] Exactly how would companies leasing highways “shut this country down?” Are they going to have their own armies? Are they going to boot out all American employees and replace them with Spaniards, Australians, et cetera?

“A few months ago, the federal government was going to lease our ports. Terrorists are not our biggest enemies, it is our ignorance.”

[RWC] No one, including the federal government, “was going to lease our ports.” Indeed, the feds don’t even own our ports, local governments/ port authorities do. All the feds were doing was approving the sale of a current terminal operator [P&O (itself a foreign-owned company)] to Dubai Ports World. The leases were on some port terminals.

“What is next? To have a ‘For Sale’ sign on the Statue of Liberty, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. or maybe just our freedom?

“I want our politicians to promise that they will stand up for Pennsylvania and not allow our highways to be sold to foreign companies. It would be a shame to see us follow in the footsteps of Chicago, Virginia and the other states who have already leased their roads to foreign companies.”

[RWC] Mr. Tetrick doesn’t seem to know the difference between leasing and selling. The proposal is to lease the highways, not sell them.

“If you are concerned, write your local lawmakers. At the rate this country is going, the new American slogan will be, ‘Welcome to America, the land where Americans do not even own the land they occupy.’”

[RWC] Does Mr. Tetrick know that when you lease property you own, you still own the property?