Texas Transportation Commission asks Congress to END ALL LIMITS TO TOLLING!
Some of the most disturbing aspects of this report as cited on Toll Road News:
They want to buy interstates from the feds so they can toll you!
“The paper says federal law should remove the ‘pilot program status’ of toll financing exemptions to give states ‘as many opportunities as possible for new funding alternatives.’ It proposes toll revenues be freed of restrictions they be reinvested in the particular road. It also calls for states to be able to buy back interstate segments by reimbursing the federal government its past contributions.”
This once again shows that tolls are not “user fees” as the tollers repeatedly state. They plan to and are actively advocating to take tolls collected for one road and have the ability to spend it on something else. This is government speak for “we want to tax “x” so we can spend it however we choose to with NO accountability to the public!” We’ve contended all along that this isn’t about transportation, relieving congestion, or mobility, it’s about a tax grab and building up a toll road slush fund for bureaucrats to take your money and spend it on any pet project that suits their whims (look no further than past precedent here and here.)
They want to give private companies government perks by making some of their profits income tax exempt!
“They then say they want federal law amended to recognize the role of private equity capital as a source of capital for roads. Also they propose amending the federal tax code to exempt partnership distributions and dividends from income tax. Income and distributions from government owned and not-for-profit toll authorities are already exempt from federal income tax.”
TAKE ACTION NOW!
Email comments here: cmueller@dot.state.tx.us
They’re seeking comment. Please take a moment to contact the DOT (cmueller@dot.state.tx.us) to let them know the public is outraged at ending all limits to tolling, particularly allowing states to “buy back” interstates and then toll the public so State government can empty your wallet and create a toll road slush fund! The Texas Transportation Commission is shameless in its attempt to hijack our public freeway system and turn it into their personal cash cow to enrich a select few corporations and feed BIG GOVERNMENT. This is tantamount to holding commuters and motorists hostage by controlling where and how we drive in a nationwide push to toll everything they can get their hands on!