Save up your quarters for I-79

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on the House GOP plan to turn interstates 78, 79, 80, 81 and 95 into toll roads. Further, to place those roads under control of the Turnpike Commission.

The Republican plan “does not rely on any new taxes whatsoever,” said House GOP spokesman Stephen Miskin.

If you’re going to charges “tolls” (as opposed to taxes) to drive on roads currently being paid by the gas tax – why not just raise the gas tax? What’s the difference?

Furthermore, if you want to make all these interstate toll roads, then we should have competitive bidding for a lease on all of them, not turn them over to the gluttonous Turnpike Commission.

UPDATE: John Micek’s blog compares Joe Brimmeier to a Sith Lord (worth noting because it contains a picture of Darth Vader. John, I find your lack of faith disturbing.