Two Republican state senators have introduced a proposal to hold people accountable for evading tolls on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward, who represents Westmoreland County, and state Sen. Judy Ward, who represents parts of central Pennsylvania, will introduce the bill, which aims to strengthen penalties for repeat toll evaders on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, targeting individuals who accumulate thousands of dollars in unpaid tolls at the expense of others.
The proposed legislation would:
make a criminal offense to drive on the turnpike while under suspension for unpaid tollsestablish a theft of toll services charge for repeat offenders using the road despite being under suspensionmake it a felony offense for racking up more than $10,000 in unpaid tolls
“Then it makes us have to pay more, the ones who legitimately do pay,” said Dean Johnson from Wisconsin, who was traveling with his wife to Harrisburg on Wednesday.
They have an E-ZPass, and they, like lawmakers, see the payments as an investment in roadways.
“I think it’s a good use of money and we’re happy to pay. And yeah, I think everybody should. If they take advantage of the conditions of the tollway, I think they should pay their share,” explained Brigitte Johnson.
Anthony Wiltrout, who lives in Connellsville, just cleared his bill and got an E-ZPass.
“I know mine built up there for a while because I didn’t have an E-ZPass, and they tacked on a lot of late charges. A lot of my stuff didn’t come through the mail or anything like that, but I just got it recently figured out,” Wiltrout said.
A timeframe for when the bill will be introduced was not known.
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