See Pat Driscoll’s blog on the last time the Texas Toll Party was before the Transportation Commission.
Founder Sal Costello took Chair Ric Williamson to task on toll booths. Williamson insists they’re not in the toll booth business but as usual, TxDOT did a bait and switch. Just weeks ago WOAI radio had repeated reports on the classified advertisements in the Austin American Statesman for toll booth operators. Approximately 25 cents of every $1 goes to the administration cost of collecting tolls. Why would we want 25% or more of our hard earned tax dollars to go to toll booth adminstration? Toll roads cost more to build, more to operate, and more to maintain and they rely on permanent congestion on the free lanes in order to work…so who benefits from the toll roads? Government (creates a new government entitlement) and private corporations. Who’s the loser? All of us, the taxpayers!