Fee hikes figure in Pa. lawmakers’ transportation funding plan

The long-awaited legislative follow-up to Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett’s own transportation funding plan is expected to be announced Tuesday.

John Rafferty is saving the details of his transportation funding proposal for the official, scheduled announcement at 11 a.m.

The chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee is more forthcoming, however, about something that sheds light on the politics of that press conference.

Transportation funding is one of the big issues for the next few months, but so is the Corbett administration-endorsed plan to sell off the state wine and spirits stores.

And Rafferty just made a show of good faith to the governor’s office by pulling his name from the list of co-sponsors of a counterproposal to modernize the state stores instead of privatizing the entire liquor system.

“Cause if I’m trying to resolve an issue, I don’t want to be linked to anything,” he said.

Rafferty’s already sticking his neck out here.

He has said for weeks his transportation funding plan will go a good deal further than Corbett’s proposal — raising more money by hiking driver’s license and vehicle registration fees.