Turnpike Privatization Is Apparently Not Popular

Governor Kasich's idea doesn't get much support in its first public hearing (h/t Lambert)

Of the 77 people in attendance Tuesday, 75 raised their hands to say they are against the governor's idea of privatizing the 241-mile toll road that spans Ohio from Indiana to Pennsylvania -- and many made strong statements for keeping the status quo.
The vast majority in attendance at the Lorain County Transportation and Community Center agreed with the analysis of the Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study that concluded the turnpike is an efficiently run, revenue-producing asset and, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Ernie Peto of Olmsted Falls said leasing the turnpike would be like pawning it.
"Once you pawn a valuable watch and then spend the money, what do you have left?" he said. "We can't give away this asset."
Many in the audience cited what they said were deplorable conditions on the Indiana Turnpike, now being leased to a private company. One who registered that complaint was Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald, who has gathered county commissioners in northern Ohio to oppose a turnpike lease.
"The company in control of the Indiana Turnpike is having all kinds of financial problems," FitzGerald said. "We don't want to have happening in Ohio what happened in Indiana."
"The Indiana Turnpike is a nightmare," said Lenore Novak of Lorain, who said she travels it often. "Their roads are deplorable, and you can't get through their toll booths."
Margaret Conway of Avon Lake added, "The plazas are also an embarrassment. Their bathrooms are really bad."

Will that stop the plan?  Hopefully.  Honestly, why does somebody think that a private corporation can provide a public service more cheaply than a public entity, considering that the private company expects to return a profit.  Considering that the major cost of operating a highway is maintenance, wouldn't it seem like the best place to squeeze out a profit is by cutting maintenance spending?  Won't that be bad long term?  The private sector thrives where innovation and risk-taking are needed.  Highways don't fit in that category.