A Pennsylvania House Democratic study on the issues of leasing the Pennsylvania Turnpike to a private operator and imposing tolls on Interstate 80 makes arguments that, on the surface, seem reasonable.

However, further examination of the issues might or might not discredit some of the study's conclusions.

At this time, the best advice for those interested — indeed, all Pennsylvania residents should be interested, if only because of the statewide and regional economic factors involved — is to stay tuned, watch closely and express opinions.

It is the view of Pennsylvania House Speaker Dennis M. O'Brien, who was interviewed last Monday at the Butler Eagle, that federal approval for tolling of I-80 is coming, although he didn't offer a prediction of when that might happen.

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Phil English, R-3rd, a strong opponent of I-80 tolling, responding to O'Brien's prediction, said last week:

"The Turnpike Commission's application for tolling I-80 has been so fraught with flaws, poor groundwork and outrageous cross subsidies that it is hard to imagine the U.S. Department of Transportation giving it a clean approval without major changes. The idea that we are going to toll I-80, and the Turnpike, in order to use nearly half of the revenues to subsidize big city transit flies in the face of congressional intent.

"Philadelphia politicians seem incapable of getting their arms around the critical role that I-80 plays in rural Pennsylvania's economy and how much local economic development is specifically tied to the freeway."

The main conclusions in the House Democrats' study is that leasing of the Turnpike would involve major risks and that the tolling plan for I-80 would be more cost-effective.

As reported in Tuesday's Butler Eagle, it is the view of House Majority Whip Keith McCall, D-Carbon, that leasing of the Turnpike could prove to be very counterproductive to the state's long-range needs for highway and bridge repairs — the issue that has prompted the focus on I-80 and the Turnpike.

The Democrats' 65-page study contains a troubling possibility surrounding a Turnpike lease. That is that the lease would generate billions of dollars in upfront payments for roads, bridges and mass transit systems that could become a cash cow waiting to be milked by state lawmakers.

Don't believe any state official who says that never could happen.

Meanwhile, the Rendell administration reportedly is continuing to work with 14 groups interested in bidding on a long-term Turnpike lease.

Plans are to seek formal bids in a few weeks, followed by Gov. Ed Rendell submitting what is judged to be the best leasing offer to the General Assembly for consideration.

As for I-80, Joe Brimmeier, Turnpike Commission chairman, told a legislative hearing last Monday that the federal review of the I-80 proposal "is going to be a lengthy process."

Two other significant points in the House Democrats' study are that previous projections about the benefits of a Turnpike lease might have used financial projections that could be overly optimistic, and that if the leasing firm were to default, it is unlikely the state would get the Turnpike back for free.

Whether tolling of I-80 is a better option than leasing the Turnpike demands considerably more open-minded debate in the weeks and months ahead. People on both sides of the issue at this time need to step back and look at the total picture and everything that is at stake.

Individual interests should not block out willingness to try to assess the issues from both sides of the debate and understand the other side's concerns.

In the end, the state's overall best interests should be the basis for what finally is decided, not one region's interests or anyone's political ambitions.