PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE PASSES PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP LEGISLATION
Pennsylvania has joined thirty-three existing states that have passed rules for private-public-partnership agreements. Several years ago under the Rendell administration, there was detailed investigation into leasing the Pennsylvania Turnpike in an attempt to raise revenue for transportation infrastructure improvements. Pennsylvania did not have any specific guidelines for this type of agreement at that time. The legislature did pass Act 44 of 2007 which included an annual increase to the tolls on the Turnpike and the sale of bonds for transportation infrastructure improvements. Now Governor Corbett has signed Act 88 of 2012 which defines how public-private-partnerships can be formulated. The law now creates the ground rules for Pennsylvania to consider private-public-partnerships as another tool for funding are deficient transportation infrastructure.
