This summer has brought a fundamental change to the status of the Ohio Turnpike. No longer is it a stand-alone venture.

The turnpike commission authorized the sale of $1 billion in bonds to fund highway projects in Ohio. The bonds would be paid by 2.7 percent toll increases annually for 10 years.

Until now, tolls had paid for maintenance and operation of the 241-mile road through northern Ohio. The system may have worked too well; the toll road now is an asset to be leveraged for funds to improve highways elsewhere in the state.

Concerns about this approach are understandable; something similar happened to Ohio liquor profits, now used — indirectly, yet undeniably — to fund JobsOhio, the economic development agency privatized by Gov. John Kasich….

Yes, the turnpike wasn’t broken, so it didn’t need to be fixed. Yet, toll revenues are to be detoured to fix the state’s transportation infrastructure.

The real risk is whether the tolls will follow the pattern of postage stamp price increases, with higher costs resulting in lower usage which, in turn, leads to higher fees.

But if annual toll increases don’t chase traffic onto other roads, and the state transportation department makes efficient, effective use of the added funds, the loss of the turnpike’s independence may seem like a worthy trade.

The Marietta Times

 

Smart policy can slow violence in our country

Most Americans probably believe that society has become more dangerous over the past 30 years — and certainly that homicide rates among young people have risen. The fear of such violence has been fomented, at least in part, by a barrage of sometimes sensational media coverage focused on mass shootings, gangs, and urban violence.

Shortsighted politicians have exploited these fears. They have enacted a range of failed tough-on-crime measures, such as imposing mandatory minimum sentences and eliminating parole.

Despite the hype, the facts on violence and public safety offer hope. The homicide rate for older children and young adults is at its lowest point in at least 30 years, according to a new report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention….

No one knows why homicides have dropped, though not steadily, over the past three decades. Theories — some of them bizarre — include the availability of legalized abortion, reductions in the amount of lead that children are exposed to, and even improved trauma care that boosts survival rates.

The United States remains one of the world’s most violent nations. Firearms were used in nearly 80 percent of all homicides over the past three decades.

Young African-Americans continue to be killed at rates nearly four times higher than the average for all young people. Moreover, progress for all groups appears to be slowing.

As communities and states combat violence, reason and pragmatism must guide their efforts — not exaggerated fears or the failed policies of the past.

The (Toledo) Blade