U.S. Rep. John Peterson, R-Pa., believes the state’s highest-ranking Republican didn’t do enough to prevent the passage of legislation which allows for tolls along Interstate 80.

As a result, Peterson said Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Brockway, has decided to deflect the public debate over I-80 to a personal attack on him.

In a column on I-80 released to The Era on Thursday, the lawmaker said while Scarnati is blaming the state’s transportation crisis on the federal government, the reason there’s a shortfall to fix roads and bridges is because federal transportation funding was diverted to such agencies as the state police, tourist programs and mass transit in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

“The governor even transferred over $412 million in federal bridge and road money with the tacit approval of the state legislature,” Peterson said. “One has to wonder why as President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Mr. Scarnati chose not to act while all the plundering occurred.”

Peterson’s column was in response to one released earlier by Scarnati, called “The Truth About Transportation.” In it, Scarnati chides Peterson for not having enough clout to bring home the bacon to Pennsylvania in the last federal transportation bill.

“This federal transportation plan failed Pennsylvanians and Congressman Peterson failed our motoring public and job creators,” Scarnati said in his column. “This clearly, and once again, exhibits his lack of clout in Washington.”

A call seeking comment from Scarnati was not immediately returned Thursday night. Director of Policy and Communications Tim Nyquist referred The Era to Scarnati’s column, saying that would speak for itself.

The heated Washington-Harrisburg debate comes during a time when hearings are being held across the state regarding the I-80 toll plan — which has been met with skepticism by the public.

A recent poll conducted by Quinnipiac University showed 41 percent of the respondents believe the state should lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike, with 36 percent preferring the I-80 toll approach.

Peterson, along with fellow U.S. Rep. Phil English, R-Pa., have introduced legislation to block the tolls and have been traveling across the state in an effort to get Act 44 repealed by the Legislature.

“Let’s hope the wheels are coming off this plan,” Peterson said. “This is the most disastrous plan for the state and my district in some time.”

According to Peterson, the roots of the I-80 toll plan were sown during the state’s contentious budget battle earlier this year. During that time, Peterson believes Gov. Ed Rendell shut down the government and laid off state employees, not so much as to finalize the budget, but to move forward on his transportation agenda and for mass transit funding.

Rendell backed the Legislature into a corner, Peterson said, where it wilted under the pressure put on them by the administration. In turn, the lawmaker said, Rendell is “playing the middle ground” on the issue.

“As I understand it, three proposals were on the table — leasing the turnpike, a multitude of tax and license increases and tolling I-80,” Peterson said. “The governor told me that the Republican leadership in the Senate and House conveyed to him (Rendell) that the only deal he could have — that they would support — would be tolling I-80.

“There was fear at the capitol that the governor would bury them by turning the state employees against them (Legislature). The state Legislature overreacted to the situation. A good debate makes for good legislation. Instead of having a scrap, the Legislature just ducked.”

Scarnati has said numerous times that he adamantly opposes any type of gas tax on the state’s residents, adding placing tolls on I-80 was the least of the evils being discussed. He said previously by blocking tolls on I-80, that plays right into the governor’s hands to do what he’s wanted all along — sell the turnpike.

In his opinion piece, Scarnati said the concept of a gas tax was embraced by the Legislature in the past, adding Peterson voted in favor of it on three separate occasions while he was in Harrisburg.

“The legislature decided that, while not ideal, this idea (tolling I-80) was the best of those presented to this point and we could not afford to wait any longer to act,” Scarnati said in the op-ed. “As I have stated before, I oppose tolling I-80, and I would be open to realistic alternatives, but doing nothing is no longer an option.”

However, there were plenty of occasions where Scarnati could have stood up and blocked the governor’s plans, according to Peterson.

“Despite his recent statements that he did not want to toll I-80, as Senate Pro Tempore he helped craft and shepherd Act 44 through the legislature and declared victory upon its passage in conjunction with the budget negotiation,” Peterson said. “Though this was an immediate ‘win’ for Mr. Scarnati, he overlooked the devastating economic affects of placing the country’s highest toll rates along I-80.”

By backing Act 44, Peterson said, Scarnati has condemned rural Pennsylvania to economic disaster.

“Ironically, Act 44 is the number of the notorious pay raise bill which Sen. Scarnati not only adamantly supported, but defended.”

Peterson said the issue is equal in importance to the state’s 1991 tax package, which called for a $3.5 billion increase and placed a large burden on businesses.

In the hopes of shedding more light on the issue, Peterson has challenged Scarnati to join him in a public forum in Brookville early next month. There was no word on whether Scarnati would accept the invitation.

Both Peterson and Scarnati are up for re-election next year.

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