House Votes Against Turnpike Lease

The Pennsylavania House of Represntatives voted 185-12 against an amendment that would have allowed Governor Ed Rendell to move forward on a bid to lease the Pennsyvlania turnpike. A Spanish company submitted a bid for 12.8 billion dollars to lease the turnpike for the next 75 years. But Representatives on both sides of the aisle soundly rejected the legislation. Chairman of the House Transportation Committee Rep. Joe Markosek of Monroeville says his reasons for voting against the amendment were threefold. He said he felt the bid undervalued the lease, that he was uncomfortable with a foreign entity running the turnpike and that he and many colleagues were turned off by Rendell's closed door manuevering and the lack of information. Markosek says he is sticking by Act 44 and thinks it is a reasonable piece of legislation that raises tolls, but won't cost taxpayers.