For Whom The Turnpike Tolls

Eric Heyl of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review offers a hilarious scenario in which Joe Brimmeier, the head of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, a bastion of patronage jobs, has to find ways to persuade people to voluntarily leave those cushy jobs before layoffs are ordered.

The sinking economy has hit the Turnpike, too. Fewer people are traveling to fewer jobs. That means revenue from tolls is declining.

From Heyl's column:

Think of the quandary in which poor Joe Brimmeier finds himself.

Things are so bad that Brimmeier now is looking to reduce expenses and trim some of the commission's 2,250 jobs. Layoffs are being discussed if enough employees don't participate in a "voluntary departure program."

Given the manner in which many well-connected turnpike employees and consultants obtained their jobs, Brimmeier probably is meeting plenty of resistance as he attempts to cut costs and pare payroll.

Read the full column at the newspaper's Web site.