11/16/2007: An Act 44 Update and Call for Action from the Central PA Chamber President and CEO

Watsontown, PA—At a private luncheon, two Turnpike Commission representatives, William Capone, Director of Communications and Public Relations, and Brian Ranck, Project Manager and Engineer for the tolling project, provided a brief overview of the process they are moving through.

Everyone was given the opportunity to ask questions about Act 44 and the plan to toll I-80.

Unfortunately, many of our questions remain unanswered, such as:

  1. Where will the tolling gantries be located?
  2. What is the process to collect and compile the data to determine the economic impact on the I-80 corridor?
  3. Who will be collecting the data?
  4. How will we as individuals be able to "check" that data?

As a Chamber of Commerce, the Central PA Board of Directors has taken a position against Act 44 and created a petition against the tolling. We encourage you to post the petition at your business for employees and customers to review and sign if they agree. 

A second document, created by the Turnpike Commission, called the Public Comment Form, was distributed at the Public Meetings across the corridor to document public feeling about the plan, and is available on their website at http://www.paturnpike.com/i80/community/town.aspx, which takes you to their online public meeting. You will have to register to enter the site and access this form. If you do not wish to register, the Chamber office has additional copies. The Public Comment Form should be mailed to the address on the back of the form, to have your comments heard.

Additionally, we are asking businesses across the region to send us data concerning the economic impact that the tolling of I-80 will have on their businesses. We ask that you simply send us, on company letterhead, the direct cost (on an annualized basis) to your business along with the current number of employees and annual payroll figure, and any other pertinent information you feel should be included.

This data, along with the completed petitions that we receive, will be added to data collected by other Chambers of Commerce across the I-80 corridor for inclusion in a report to be distributed to the Pennsylvania legislators who vote for Act 44. It will also be forwarded to the appropriate Federal Officials.

Thank you for your help in stopping the tolling of I-80!

Maria A. Culp
President & CEO