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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― Governor Ed Rendell says leasing the Pennsylvania Turnpike could reap billions of dollars and solve transportation problems, but the commission that runs the turnpike is against the plan and they are spending tax dollars to spread the word.

The Turnpike Commission says leasing the turnpike would be a big mistake for Pennsylvania and they're stating some of the reasons why in a new ad campaign.

But critics say the commission and its management of the turnpike is reason enough to privatize the roadway.

You might have seen the ads about your ancestors building the turnpike and a plea from the Joe Brimmeier, executive director of the Turnpike Commission, not to put the road up for lease.

"And let's make sure we keep it Pennsylvania's turnpike," he says in the commercial.

Sheehan: "And that means, 'Let's not lease the turnpike.' "

Brimmeier: "Of course. Of course. I don't agree that we should be leasing the turnpike. It's a bad deal."

The commission is spending $300,000 in advertising this year in large part to convince you that the turnpike should not go private.

"To tell people .. No. 1 what a good job we do because quite frankly we've been under attack since you know the people want to sell the turnpike," Brimmeier said. "There's no question that there's billions and billions of dollars to be made out there and  some people will do anything to get their hands on the Pennsylvania Turnpike."

But should the commission be using your money to basically convince you to preserve their jobs?

"They're a state agency that has to advertise to keep themselves in existence. It does not make sense," State Sen. Jane Orie, R- North Hills, said.

She says the commission itself is a big reason why the turnpike should be privatized. In addition to money spent on advertising, the commission spent close to $400,000 last year on lobbyists at a time when tolls are set to increase by 25 percent.

"It is a state agency. It is owned by the state, state taxpayer dollars are utilized in that and that they do not need to do advertising. They don't need to do lobbying," she said.

Orie supports Rendell's proposal to lease the turnpike to a private operator - a plan Rendell says will generate as much as $1.7 billion a year to fund mass transit, repair decaying bridges and roads and even eliminate Allegheny County's drink tax.

"We've got to look at it. We'd be negligent if we didn't pursue it," Rendell said.

And as part of that debate, the commission itself has come under fire as a bastion of patronage, unchecked spending and even scandal.

The wife of Chairman Mitchell Rubin is under indictment with State Sen. Vince Fumo for theft and fraud. Rubin himself is identified in the indictment as accepting $150,000 in contract work from Fumo for little or no work while the commission is accused of giving a Fumo crony $250,000 under a bogus consultant contract.

In addition, Rubin ran up $77,000 in expenses over a five-year period for trips to Europe and dining at four-star restaurants.

Brimmeier: "Our spending on those types of excesses that you're talking about - it no longer exists."

Sheehan: "It's all dried up."

Brimmeier: "Well, it's not all dried up."

Brimmeier says the commission has tightened its belt but at a salary of $178,000, Brimmeier is himself the highest-paid employee in the state.

"I know and I earn every penny of it," he told KDKA.

And he recently went on a commission-paid nine-day trip to Vienna, Austria. He claims the trip more than paid for itself. In addition to discussing roads and transportation with his peers, he says he landed $4 million in convention business for the state.

"You know it's the old theory you've got to spend money to make money," Brimmeier said. 

Sheehan: "Some people think you guys are over paid that you spend too much in travel and entertainment and that there's not enough people watching the store here."

Brimmeier: "Well that's just not true, Andy. That's just not true."

Sheehan: "Pound for pound. You're an efficient agency?"

Brimmeier: "Why would the New York rating agencies rate us - not me, not Joe Brimmeier, not Andy Sheehan, not the general public.  Professional agencies that do this for a living rate us one of the top three in the country. Lowest maintenance costs, lowest management costs, administrative costs, lowest operational costs. Now we got to be doing something right for them to do it. "

Brimmeier tells KDKA's Andy Sheehan the commission is pulling their latest ads and re-editing them. He says he now agrees the commission should not be spending public money to weigh in on the debate about privatizing the turnpike.

But even still, the commission - pro and con - will be a big part of the coming debate.

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