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Editorial: Highway to nowhere

State leaders mapped out a strategy three years ago to invest heavily in Pennsylvania's long-term transportation needs, but amazingly failed to adopt a way to fund the $472 million in new spending each year for roads, bridges, and transit.

State leaders mapped out a strategy three years ago to invest heavily in Pennsylvania's long-term transportation needs, but amazingly failed to adopt a way to fund the $472 million in new spending each year for roads, bridges, and transit.

The collapse of an ill-conceived plan to raise billions by leasing the Pennsylvania Turnpike was followed by repeated failures to get federal approval to toll Interstate 80. Despite the lack of a dedicated funding stream, the state began spending money anyway.

That was not fiscally responsible. With those options off the table, Gov. Rendell is looking for some "political courage" to come up with a workable funding plan.

That will mean enacting reasonable increases in the cost of driving for all motorists, just as most transit riders and turnpike users already are paying more.

In remarks Monday and at a state Senate hearing Wednesday, the governor repeated his pitch for higher licensing and vehicle fees, along with the addition of several pennies to the state's 31.2-cent-per-gallon gasoline tax.

Rendell immediately ran into resistance from Republican legislative leaders, who don't want to raise taxes before the election this fall, when all of the House members and half of the Senate face voters.

But the $472 million gap in transportation funding earmarked in 2007 under Act 44 threatens annual repairs to 300 miles of road and 100 bridges now. That even puts motorists' safety at risk - particularly in the event of a disastrous bridge collapse.

For SEPTA riders, the budget crunch means postponing station upgrades and a new fare system, with similar work imperiled at other transit agencies.

Waiting until a new governor takes office will only mean that the backlog of critical projects grows. Since Republican gubernatorial contender Tom Corbett has pledged not to raise any taxes, funding may not be forthcoming if he wins.

At this point, Rendell is proposing a nearly painless means of covering transportation projects. Sure, families are struggling, and any hike in taxes hurts the pocketbook. But the gasoline tax is the fairest way to fund the transportation needs. A fill-up for the family minivan would cost a little more, but out-of-state truckers and others traveling through Pennsylvania would shoulder more of the burden.

Political courage may be required, but it's also the best policy to use the gasoline tax to assure that state transportation needs are met.