State lawmakers debated privatizing the state liquor system last week. That three-hour session in the state House of Representitives was the first time since 1933 that privatization of the state store system had been debated on the floor of the House.

Compared with other states, Pennsylvania’s system is anachronistic, inefficient and expensive. But the union representing state store workers continues to fight privatization.

The current effort to privatize the system will have to wait. Proponents for reform said Tuesday they lack the votes for passage.

While most Pennsylvanians support privatizing liquor sales, most people also believe the state faces more important issues.

One of those issues is transportation funding — and reform.

Pennsylvania has some of the worst roads and most seriously deteriorating bridges, so transportation is a more pressing problem than replacing the state store system.

The lack of action on transportation by state lawmakers and the lack of leadership by Gov. Tom Corbett are discouraging.

In Corbett’s budget address in February, he said transportation was “too large” of an issue for incorporation into budget negotiations, which should conclude by the June 30 fiscal year end.

As soon as the budget is completed, Harrisburg leaders should focus on transportation.

Pennsylvania is near the bottom on road-quality rankings and near the top when it comes to structurally deficient bridges. Motorists don’t need national rankings to tell them many of the state’s roads and bridges are in bad shape — and getting worse.

A transportation “spending gap” identified by the Transportation Funding Advisory Commission appointed by Corbett set unmet transportation-funding needs at $3.5 billion in 2010, and projected the gap would grow to $7.2 billion by 2020.

The transportation-funding study suggested a variety of changes to fees and permits that have not been changed in decades that could cut costs while also increasing revenue slightly.

But beyond finding more money for roads and bridges, lawmakers should look at reforming infrastructure funding and construction work. The Commonwealth Foundation, a think tank based in Harrisburg, notes that Pennsylvania ranks high in both highway spending per capita and spending per highway mile.

The combination of high costs and low quality when it comes to road construction is not a good combination for the state’s taxpayers or motorists.

Testifying before the Senate- House Transportation Committee, foundation head Matthew Brouillette argued that motorists or taxpayers should not pay more for transportation until a more efficient system is in place.

Brouillette also promoted the idea of users-pay, which is in line with a gasoline tax for highway funding. The foundation supports more toll roads or toll lanes, where users pay directly for added convenience.

Applying the same users-pay philosophy to public transit, the foundation advocates for all users to pay more, but suggests a subsidy system to help low-income users while asking other transit riders to pay higher fares.

Brouillette notes that putting public transit service out for competitive bidding has produced substantial cost savings in other states. Houston saved 26 percent and Denver saw a 46 percent cost reduction by using private contractors. The average savings using competitive bidding is 35 percent.

Lawmakers should require public transit systems in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and other larger cities to be bid out. Other reforms to get more bang for the transportation dollar should also be pursued.

Pennsylvanians probably will have to pay more to maintain and improve the transportation infrastructure, but reform can help the dollars spent get more done.

Corbett and state lawmakers should start talking about transportation and use the August 2011 findings of Corbett’s advisory commission as a starting point.