Brewster Votes in Favor of Transportation Funding Bill
HARRISBURG, Nov. 21, 2013 – State Sen. Jim Brewster (D-Allegheny/Westmoreland) voted in support of the comprehensive transportation funding plan because it will help Pennsylvania address many of its transportation issues. The Senate voted to pass the bill by a vote of 43-7.
“We have been working diligently to pass a transportation bill to fund critical infrastructure investments across the state,” said Brewster, a member of the Senate Transportation Committee.
Brewster said the funds generated by the plan – $2.4 billion annually within five years – will go toward maintaining roads, repairing bridges and supporting mass transit systems. In addition, the increased transportation investment will create an estimated 62,000 high-quality jobs for workers across the state.
“Pennsylvania’s roads and bridges have been deteriorating for years, and we needed to take action to ensure that, first and foremost, drivers in our state are safe on our roads,” said Brewster. “Drivers will also benefit from shorter commutes and lower maintenance costs.”
Brewster said that coupling the transportation funding bill with the prevailing wage rate was wrong.
“I voted against the prevailing wage amendment because it has no place in the transportation funding bill,” said Brewster. “That issue is important enough to deserve consideration on its own.”
Brewster said the funding bill is essential for the state’s future and is “a way to put Pennsylvanians back to work and help improve the state’s economy.”
The bill now goes to the House for concurrence.
-30-