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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Tim Solobay |
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Solobay disappointed in I-80 toll
rejection
Urges legislature to ban illegal
immigrant benefits to make up lost revenue
HARRISBURG, April 7 – With the plan to toll Interstate 80
rejected by the federal government, state Rep. Tim Solobay, D-Washington, is
calling on Gov. Rendell and the legislature to take a closer look at saving
money by denying state benefits to illegal immigrants.
"A
significant amount of I-80 traffic is out-of-state truckers and motorists
passing through our state," Solobay said. "The federal government
rejecting our request to toll I-80 will leave a substantial hole in the state
budget that local residents will have to deal with. It would have made much
more sense to have those who use I-80 to drive through the state pay for the
wear and tear of the road."
Act
44, which was approved by the General Assembly in 2007 with a bipartisan vote
and signed into law by the governor, calls for an increase in tolls on the
Pennsylvania Turnpike and the tolling of I-80. The increase in tolls is
providing an extra $900 million this year to fund work in all 67 counties in
Pennsylvania. That figure will drop to $450 million on July 1 because of the
rejection of the state's application to toll I-80.
Solobay
said as the state looks to recoup the lost revenues, legislators should
consider a bill he co-sponsored, H.B. 1184, that could save the
state money by prohibiting illegal immigrants from receiving state benefits.
The
bill, sponsored by state Rep. Harry Readshaw, D-Allegheny, would mandate anyone
requesting public benefits, such as cash assistance, Medicaid or in-state
college tuition assistance, to sign an affidavit testifying that he or she is a
citizen of the United States or an alien living in the country legally.
Applicants also would have to provide identification and proof of residency.
The
bill is currently before the House Intergovernmental Affairs Committee for
consideration.
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CONTACT: Lauren Rooney |