— Could someone please tell me why the governor and Legislature approved a 2011 budget that contained $470 million in Interstate 80 toll money – funding they knew Pennsylvania probably was never going to collect?

The federal government last year already rejected a push to toll I-80, and yet the geniuses in Harrisburg still included the funds in the budget.

How mentally challenged can you get?

Instead of buckling down and cutting expenses, these bums passed a budget they knew contained a $470 million shortfall. Only in government could you get away with that kind of strategic planning.

Imagine building a 2011 business budget around hope and ghost money. Hope is not a strategy and you cannot run a government on ghost money.

Gov. Ed Rendell, as chief executive, and the one with final approval, is the person ultimately responsible for this shortfall, and he should be ashamed of his poor example of leadership.

January cannot get here fast enough, so we can finally be rid of this incompetent bungler and his administration.    

So now this lazy bunch is tasked with heavy lifting that should have been done already.

The choices are clear: Raise revenues (code-speak for stick it to the people by raising taxes or fees) or cut expenses.

Rendell has no clue what cutting expenses means, so we cannot expect him to lead in that direction. He has demonstrated very clearly throughout his feeble administration that all he knows is tax-and-spend, so it should surprise no one that he is not brainstorming on ways to reduce the size of this bloated state government.

No, instead he has proposed a way to squeeze the people through penalty fees.

The governor wants to set “mousetraps” by installing a network of surveillance cameras and using them to identify and fine uninsured drivers, helping raise money for the state treasury.

Rendell brought up this idea last week while urging state senators to consider a range of ideas to address the $470 million revenue gap.

Under the system, cameras installed along state highways would take pictures of vehicle license plates and cross-reference them with the motorists’ insurance policy information.

Those found to lack valid insurance would receive a notice to pay a fine, which a contractor would collect the fine for a percentage of the revenue.

We could spend all day discussing the problems associated with an outside agency contracted to collect these mousetrap fines. Not to mention reporting lag time by insurance companies.  

To justify his plan, Rendell said, “Drivers without insurance put all drivers at risk.”

I can’t argue that fact. But to lay traps to catch motorists is just wrong. Especially when other viable options for closing this budget shortfall are available.

The governor estimates the camera-based program would generate $115 million annually.

Sorry, we don’t need more of Big Brother looking over our shoulders.

I know a viable way legislators could cut this $470 million shortfall almost in half. In one stroke.

Eliminate the $200 million walking-around-money legislators use as their own personal constituent piggy bank! 

But don’t hold your breath, because that will never happen. To them, it’s all about getting re-elected – doing the right thing be damned.

The governor and the legislators need to forget about setting mousetraps and get to the real issue, which is to cut the size of government.

But let’s face it, that course of action takes leadership, vision and the courage to do the right thing.

All of which are in short supply in Harrisburg.  



Robin L. Quillon is the publisher of The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at rquillon@tribdem.com.