HARRISBURG - Fallout continues from the stalled effort to generate billions of dollars in new state revenue for road and bridge projects and mass transit.
Lamenting the loss of a construction season, Gov. Tom Corbett sought to blame House Democratic lawmakers Tuesday for the lack of a transportation funding bill.
The House should have passed a transportation bill on a bipartisan vote like the Senate, Corbett said at an event in Hershey. House Minority Leader Frank Dermody, D-33, Allegheny County, was wrong to tell his caucus members not to vote for it, he said.
"I truly believe the people of Pennsylvania are the losers in the transportation bill not passing the House," Corbett said.
Dermody said the governor is wrong to claim he told his caucus not to vote for the bill. He said the GOP-drafted bill before the chamber clearly didn't provide enough money to adequately tackle transportation problems, especially for mass transit.
"If we are going to vote on this, it has to be a (bill) that solves the problem." Dermody said.
Corbett set transportation funding, liquor store privatization and public pension reform as three legislative priorities he wanted enacted along with the state budget for fiscal 2013-14. A $28.3 billion budget bill was enacted but lawmakers were unable to close the deal on the three priorities.
The governor signed a batch of laws Tuesday to sell the former Serrenti Army Reserve Center in Scranton to Scranton School District, add 10 more counties to the human services block grant program, narrow the scope of the "Delaware loophole" that allows businesses to avoid paying the state Corporate Net Income tax and establish a new venture state tax credit to replenish funding for several technology development programs.
Concerning the unfinished transportation issue, a Senate-approved bill would generate up to $2.5 billion annually within five years by lifting the cap on a state wholesale tax on gasoline within three years and increase motorist fees and a surcharge for moving traffic violations. Of that amount, $510 million would go under the Senate bill to 36 mass transit agencies.
A bill approved by the House Transportation Committee would generate up to $2 billion for road and bridge work within five years by lifting the wholesale tax cap within five years. This bill would fund mass transit with a $1 increase in a tire tax, 3 percent vehicle lease fee hike and transfers of some fee revenue from the Motor License Fund.
House Democrats suggested levying a state severance tax on natural gas production to support mass transit.
Dermody said fee hikes alone won't sustain mass transit needs. GOP leaders were unable to make specific vote commitments despite having a large majority of 111 votes, he said.
The House faces a return to session soon in order to pass one remaining budget-related bill but Dermody said that won't provide enough time for a transportation agreement.