Apr 8, 2007 By Alison Hawkes 3 min read

Did you know all those hybrid vehicles on the roads these days are sparking a lease of the Pennsylvania Turnpike? Say what?

President Bush’s Transportation Secretary Mary Peters showed up at the Capitol this week touting that line of thought. Peters said the rise in alternative vehicles and alternative fuels is sapping the gas tax, which feeds the federal highway fund, the main source of federal money for state transportation projects.

The fund is expected to go bankrupt by 2009, and states like Pennsylvania need to look to other sources of money for their road and bridge repairs. Hence, lease the Turnpike!

It’s an interesting argument because last time we checked, President Bush was out there touting the need to reduce gas consumption by 20 percent in the next decade.

And hasn’t gasoline consumption actually increased since the 1970s because of all those gas-guzzlers on American roads? For sure there are still way more SUVs getting 15 miles per gallon than hybrids.

A better explanation for the deflating federal highway fund is an 18.4-cent per gallon gas tax that Congress hasn’t increased in 14 years, coupled with soaring construction costs.

Peters didn’t mention that. Better point the finger at all those Prius drivers for ruining America’s roads.

Peters also mentioned the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling giving California and other states the right to set emissions controls on greenhouse gases. Not sure exactly how that fits in.

Meanwhile, Gov. Ed Rendell – Mr. Alternative Energy – stood idly by as Peters wisped through her speech, then came to her defense.

“She’s saying the gas tax itself is not going to grow as rapidly as it has in the past because cars are getting better mileage,” he said. “The less gas that gets used, the less gas tax revenue.”

Guess that’s just one of bitter pills politicos have to swallow in the spirit of bipartisanship.

Secretary Rendell?

So what would happen if, say, a President Hillary Clinton offered Rendell a juicy post for, say, Secretary of Energy or Transportation?

Would the governor really have the restraint to pass that up?

Rendell gave a qualified “no” to that question this week.

“I will tell her she should appoint an older person than me to serve for two years until 2011,” said Rendell, who’s been besieged by rumors that he’s angling for a national post.

Of course, 2011 is when he becomes free of his governorship duties and cannot run again. By the way, Rendell has said on television that Secretary of Energy would be an alluring spot for him.

All that alternative energy stuff he’s been doing may pay off politically after all – though he probably does believe in it.

Breastfeeding Rights

First we had the Amish descend on the Capitol in protest of a lay midwife being charged with unlawful practice of medicine.

Now in a furthering of motherhood-meets-politics, a Reading woman was recently kicked out of a shopping mall for breastfeeding her infant. She was told to do the dirty deed in her car or the bathroom.

Now we’ve got three breastfeeding rights bills introduced by Montgomery County Sen. Connie Williams.

Expect the hearings to include in-depth testimony on why breastfeeding is “natural” and healthier than formula alternatives.

Not sure at this time who would dare show up as a critic. Let’s just say, if there is an anti-breastfeeding lobby, it’ll be happening in those out-of-the-way places where breastfeeding mothers have been told to go.

Alison Hawkes can be reached at 717-705-6330 or ahawkes@calkins-media.com