Ohio PIRG applauds FHA’s reversal of funding for Turnpike privatization investigation
Media Contacts
Ohio PIRG
Columbus, OH–Ohio PIRG applauds the Federal Highway’s Administration’s decision to reverse funding of $1.5 million to Ohio to hire a consultant for the investigation of leasing the Ohio Turnpike. We are glad to see that this process is under close scrutiny and that rules are being followed. It is good to see our policy leaders closely analyzing the privatization process which must have the highest standards of propriety, including where the money to spend $1.5 million on a private consulting firm comes from. Our elected officials should continue to demand transparency and accountability to democratic standards if they continue to explore privatization.
Likewise, Ohio PIRG believes that additional public protections be put in place before the process of considering privatization advances further. In particular:
The public should retain control over decisions about transportation planning and management.
The public must receive fair value so future toll revenues are not be sold off at a discount.
No deal should last longer than 30 years because of uncertainty over future conditions and because the risks of a bad deal grow exponentially over time.
Contracts should require state-of-the art maintenance and safety standards instead of statewide minimums.
There must be complete transparency to ensure proper public vetting of privatization proposals.
For full accountability, the legislature must approve the terms of a final deal, not just approve that a deal be negotiated.
