You can pay me now, or pay me later.
That's the word from Barry Schoch. I'm guessing you have no idea who he is. You should learn his name. You're going to be hearing it a lot over the next two weeks.
Schoch is Gov. Corbett's Secretary of Transportation. They will be once again be making a huge push in the state Legislature for a bill that would provide $2.5 billion in transportation aid to fix the state's crumbling roads, bridges and mass transit.
How bad is it out there.
The state already has reduced the weight limit on more than a hundred bridges in the state. They will do more if the Legislature doesn't step up and pass this move.
It's already been approved by the Senate. But it faces a more dicey future in the House, where it is being tied to a push to increase the thresholds for some labor projects in the state, something unions - and their allies in the Legislature - are not exactly enamored with.
But that's not even really the crunch part of this process. You should resign yourself to this now. A big part of the funding for this bill comes from lifting some caps at the gas pumps - meaning you'll likely be paying more to fill up the car.
It could mean a nickel to maybe eight cents a gallon. But it's something that needs to be done.
Schoch was the guest of our regional Digital First Media Editorial Board Thursday. He echoed the voices of those who say this is absolutely critical for the state to act now.
SEPTA has already rolled out a doomsday plan, which would include the shutdown of the Media-Elwyn regional rail line, if the bill is not passed.
And Schoch says that the longer the state puts off this needed work on infrastructure, the more offensive it will become.
If they don't approve it this year, that $2.5 billion package is likely going to cost more than $3 billion next year.
As he said, you can pay me now, or pay me later.
But we're all going to have to pay more.
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