November 9, 2007
Hackett To Carney - Talk Is Cheap, Do Something To Save Jobs Now
Like Hillary Clinton, Carney wants it both ways - Won't stand up against Governor
Dallas -- Conservative Congressional Candidate and local businessman Chris Hackett today called on Congressman Chris Carney to put real pressure on Governor Rendell and Democrat PA House and Senate members to take immediate action and remove the threat of I-80 tolling.
"In my successful efforts with the Chamber of Commerce I have witnessed firsthand how even the prospect of a tax increase will cause businesses to look elsewhere when expanding or relocating. Make no mistake, tolling is a tax increase and affects job creation."
Pointing to the concrete efforts of Republican Congressman English and Peterson, Hackett continued, "The federal transportation authorities have already indicated that this toll will not be approved for many years, but site selection professionals consider these risk elements when recommending sites to clients. Since tolling is not going to happen for at least several years, if at all, the sooner the state removes this threat from the table, the sooner businesses will seriously consider expanding in or moving to Northeast and Central Pennsylvania."
Three months ago Congressman Carney issued a weak statement indicating "Tolls are not necessarily the answer ." More recently Carney was quoted as saying, "I'm opposed to tolling on I-80. I think it's a double tax. It hurts business we have growing in the area."
Mr. Carney mouths conservative platitudes in town meetings with his constituents, but when it comes time to take real action, he does nothing.
Hackett said, "It's time for Carney to use his Congressional power for the hardworking people of Central and Northeast Pennsylvania and publicly call on Governor Rendell and the legislature to protect our jobs by revoking the toll threat. It's time to let businesses know that Pennsylvania wants jobs and knows how to keep them."