Turnpike Open for Bidding

Governor Rendell has issued a request for qualifications for bidders on a Turnpike Lease. I'm not clear how a "request for qualifications" differs from "expression of interest" or an actual bid, but Rendell states that "all RFQ responses will be made public," taking one attack campaign by Turnpike Commission lobbyists fear of legislators off the table.

There is also the fear that many companies won't bid because of past pronouncements that "a turnpike lease is DOA" or are intimidated by Mike Long scowling at them.

The Governor notes that "Act 44 was great" but "still falls far short of the funding level" needed, kind of like Act 1 was "landmark" but hasn't provided any property tax relief. All of the Governor's arguments for revisiting a Turnpike lease (except for how great Act 44 was) come from Matt Brouillette's commentary.