HARRISBURG – Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason released the following statement regarding Governor Ed Rendell’s push to use funds designated to keep our roadways safe to bail out public transportation systems.

“Once again, Governor Ed Rendell is using scare tactics as a means of raising our taxes,” Gleason said.

“Even as he is preparing to walk out the doors of the Governor’s mansion, he continues to drive his hand further into the wallets of Pennsylvania taxpayers.

“Yesterday, Rendell testified before the state Senate Transportation Committee about the dangerous state of Pennsylvania’s roadways, less than 24 hours after threatening to take money away from improving our infrastructure in order to once again bail out mass transit.

Gleason concluded, “Putting the lives of Pennsylvania’s motorists at risk as a means of negotiating his plans for higher taxes is troubling. It’s time for Governor Ed Rendell to leave our transportation funding alone!  Pennsylvanians cannot afford to continue the failed agenda of the Rendell Administration any longer. Turn the lights off with grace, Mr. Governor, not with a final act of highway robbery.”

###