Would You Favor Tolls On Milwaukee Area Freeways (Cudahy, West Milwaukee: sales, credit)

[MILWCITY]

If Tolls were to be added in the 7 county area would you favor this Idea?

[MILWCITY]

I would favor Tolls, I already have an Ipass and going down to Chicago is a treat with the new open road tolling. However if Gov.Doyle thinks he can or will raid this fund again like he did with the transportation fund then I wouldn't support Tolls. Gov Doyle thanks for the state budget deficit and thanks for raising my taxes when you said" we must not, we cannot, and I will not raise taxes".

Thanks for pissing on my back and telling me it's raining!!! But overall even as a conservative I still would support Tolls on Milwaukee area freeways. I would like the City or Milwaukee County to start owning it's billboards over freeways to help raise money for itself. Milwaukee City and Milwaukee County needs to start thinking of ways to raise more money without raising property taxes or sales tax.

[MILWCITY]

Milwaukee leaders consider toll roads | Daily Reporter (Milwaukee) | Find Articles at BNET

Metro Milwaukee Today: The concept of tollways doesn't vanish so quickly (http://www.metromilwaukeetoday.com/main/2008/10/the-tolling-issue-doesnt-go-away-very-easily.html - broken link)

[43north87west]

Originally Posted by MILWCITY

If Tolls were to be added in the 7 county area would you favor this Idea?

I don't know about favoring it, but I certainly wouldn't oppose it, based on having lived in other states with toll roads previously. After living on the east coast and Chicagoland, tolls are second nature. Besides, Illinois has tolls on interstates that join Wisconsin. Indiana has tolls on interstates that join Illinois in the Chicagoland area. It's just a natural extension of the existing toll roads.

I remember when I lived in Milwaukee, the Tri-State tollway had just raised the cost of tolls from 40 cents to 75 cents, IIRC. I recall watching the 10:00 news, not sure which channel, which had made a big story about this "hike" in tolls on the Tri-State.

I have to give the local news credit. Judging from the people they interviewed, the news crew must have gone to one of the more cosmopolitan, well-traveled enclaves in the Milwaukee area, such as Cudahy or West Milwaukee. Great journalism! But I'm wandering from my point. The question was, "Since Illinois has just hiked the price of tolls, will it affect your travel to Illinois in the future?"

Everyone who was featured, was at least 100# overweight, and as I recall, wearing sweatpants and packer garb. I could not have done better myself, if trying to make news out of a $35 cent toll hike 40 miles away. The most priceless answer was, "Ooooh yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, I ain't goin' if I gotta pay more tolls."

Never mind that the total round trip cost for tolls from Milwaukee to Chicago, went from a hideous $1.60, to a stratospheric $3.00! The news managed to seek out people who probably never crossed the state line, or the county line for that matter.

My point in saying this is, I feel that the introduction of tolls into the southeastern Wisconsin area would be viable, but it would meet with serious opposition, from people who use it least. I highly doubt that people from Illinois, or frequent interstate travelers, would make much of a stink, provided that it was linked to existing I-Pass and EZ Pass toll transponders. Besides that, it would probably keep some highways from becoming more congested, before it becomes a problem.

The final point I'd like to make, is that it would have to produce some marked benefit for the state, or the region, without hosing up traffic. And it wouldn't hurt if a competent team of people were elected tor run it. Sorry, that means nobody currently active in area politics.

[MILWCITY]

Everyone who was featured, was at least 100# overweight, and as I recall, wearing sweatpants and packer garb.

This is the biggest stereotype I have to fight when I go down to Chicago, I wish cudahy would just fall off the map. Their ruining our rep. up here and stallis isnt helping much either.

One thing you did forget to mention is that when you have an Ipass the tolls are half off and you can still do 8omph through the new open road tolling so they cant blame it on inconvenience anymore.

[EastSideMKE]

I would be more in favor of a 7 county sales tax hike, as opposed to the addition of tollbooths on the freeways. Milwaukee has a very low sales tax rate, when compared to other major cities. The suburbanites should have to cough up some more dough for getting to utilize Milwaukee's numerous amenities.

[43north87west]

Originally Posted by jjacobeclark

I would be more in favor of a 7 county sales tax hike, as opposed to the addition of tollbooths on the freeways. Milwaukee has a very low sales tax rate, when compared to other major cities. The suburbanites should have to cough up some more dough for getting to utilize Milwaukee's numerous amenities.

Sales tax could easily be hiked another .1 without anyone batting an eyelash.

It would be fine with me, as long as it doesn't go to fund a professional sports team. That ship sailed.

I like tolls because they don't discriminate between people who buy something, and people who are just passing through. They're like a sales tax on every car that passes through the area, so you get trucks and cars, and people who had no intention of buying anything anyway.

[slamont61]

They could never build the infrastructure to create a Toll System.

Would it benefit the area? No. Would it help reduce taxes? No. What then would it do? A: Perhaps it would drive people off the freeway and into the suburban neighborhoods. Ever see these routes when I-94 or the Bypass is shut down with an accident?

People would leave the area in droves.

Lucky for Milwaukee this could never happen, it simply is too late in the ball game to even consider it, as bad an idea as it is.

We do already have a Toll system in place for Chi-town residents - As soon as you cross the boarders into Wisconsin, roll down the window and toss 75 cents out the window.

Thanks for Riding on the Wisconsin Toll Road!

[EnjoyEP]

Why in the world would I willingly support a system that would create much bigger hassles / congestion on key freeway spots (for my daily driving needs) and be a bigger burden to my already over-burdened wallet/finances UNLESS it was assured to provide *significant tax relief* (and thus indirectly provide relief to said-mentioned over-burdened wallet/finances); certainly if taxes would significantly go down, then I would support it.

However, I think there is a better chance for me to be named the starting small forward for the Boston Celtics or to be given lifetime tax-exempt status by the State of Wisconsin for a toll system here ever being used to legitimately provide significant tax relief, thus, no...I absolutely would not support this.

[MILWCITY]

EP, Have you been down to Chicago in the last 3 yrs? Open Road Tolling eliminates toll back ups because your going through the toll at 75-80mph. For people who don't have an Ipass they have to use cash and stop, but when you have an Ipass the tolls are half-off price. More taxes is the only hang-up for this idea of tolls in WI.