Occupy the Greenway? (Herndon, Washington: how much, property tax, restaurant)

[Caladium]

Someone made a joke on another thread that the next target for the Occupy Movement should be the Greenway. They charge over $5 for a road that's less than 15 miles long, which apparently causes some resentment.

I don't get it--why the resentment? If you don't want to pay the toll, take the public road--it's not like there's no other roads and you're forced to pay the toll. It's a private business venture and they can charge what they like. Just like a restaurant can charge whatever they think their cooking is worth. The Inn at Little Washington charges more than McDonalds but do you hear people talking about occupying The Inn at Little Washington?

The owners of the Greenway feel their toll is worth it because they think road is better than the public roads. I don't drive it myself, but apparently there are other drivers who agree, since the Greenway is one of the largest taxpayers in Loudoun. They also give back to the community--they sponsor local charities, allow commuter buses to use the road for free, and they pay for any services from the state police.

No public tax dollars go into this project that I know of, so why the resentment? Every car that drive on it isn't on Rt. 7 so I think it's a good thing.

[saganista]

Yes, it was a joke, but has anyone checked out the Greenway's great VIP cash-back, bonus-check rewards program? That's right! Sign up and you can receive a rebate of up to 15% of the tolls you've paid over a 12-month period.

Of course, to get the 15%, you have to average 120 or more trips per month for the entire year. That's an average of at least 6 trips on the Greenway per business day. Any takers?

[LetsRock]

Originally Posted by Caladium

Someone made a joke on another thread that the next target for the Occupy Movement should be the Greenway. They charge over $5 for a road that's less than 15 miles long, which apparently causes some resentment.

I don't get it--why the resentment? If you don't want to pay the toll, take the public road--it's not like there's no other roads and you're forced to pay the toll. It's a private business venture and they can charge what they like. Just like a restaurant can charge whatever they think their cooking is worth. The Inn at Little Washington charges more than McDonalds but do you hear people talking about occupying The Inn at Little Washington?

The owners of the Greenway feel their toll is worth it because they think road is better than the public roads. I don't drive it myself, but apparently there are other drivers who agree, since the Greenway is one of the largest taxpayers in Loudoun. They also give back to the community--they sponsor local charities, allow commuter buses to use the road for free, and they pay for any services from the state police.

No public tax dollars go into this project that I know of, so why the resentment? Every car that drive on it isn't on Rt. 7 so I think it's a good thing.

Is the Greenway paying tax on the 'value' of the land it occupies, or does it pay a percentage of revenue collected?

[DCmum]

the road is not better than other roads, just faster because there is less traffic due to the fact that people dont want to pay a $4+ toll/each way. Yes I am mad about it, because yes I can take a different route, but that route is longer. My taxes should be enough to cover roads in the vicinity of my house, job. Why should I have to drive extra miles because this road was sold to a private entity, yes im mad yes im mad grrrrrrrrrrrrrr lets occupy

[United_Caps_Skins_Fan]

Originally Posted by LetsRock

Is the Greenway paying tax on the 'value' of the land it occupies, or does it pay a percentage of revenue collected?

I'm honeslty not sure, but if they don't pay that they probably should. I don't have any resentment towards them, but the price really is a bit high. That said, I don't really take it much unless I have to. I know enough back country roads which are just as useful to me, and honestly many of them are more scenic and quiet.

I suppose one good thing about the higher toll price is that it keeps people OFF of it so it usually never turns into a nightmare.

I think it was just a joke, but a joke that probably many can relate to. Perhaps I would feel different if I were forced / needed to take it every day, but even then I still think I could find alternate ways around it. I think if it were a road that people were forced to use, or had no other route, then they might be in trouble for gouging people, but really , its a road that is there mainly for convenience purposes IMHO.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by saganista

Yes, it was a joke, but has anyone checked out the Greenway's great VIP cash-back, bonus-check rewards program? That's right! Sign up and you can receive a rebate of up to 15% of the tolls you've paid over a 12-month period.

Of course, to get the 15%, you have to average 120 or more trips per month for the entire year. That's an average of at least 6 trips on the Greenway per business day. Any takers?

I suppose a salesman might sign up for the 15% reward. The typical driver would want the 5% program. According to their website, you qualify for the 5% bonus check by making 180 trips over the course of a year. This averages out to less than two round trips per week over 52 weeks.

They claim they've distributed over $2 million in VIP bonus checks so far, so it sounds like there are people who use it.

[Caladium]

They're listed as the 6th highest property tax payer in Loudoun. Which makes sense since a 14-mile road is a big piece of property.

[United_Caps_Skins_Fan]

Originally Posted by Caladium

They're listed as the 6th highest property tax payer in Loudoun. Which makes sense since a 14-mile road is a big piece of property.

That is ALOT of acreage. Does it list how much acreage it actually is just out of sheer curiosity?

Maybe we should look into the 5% program, though we probably take it less than once a week now. It runs in fits and starts tho. Some weeks I might take it 4 times, then not take it again for a month. Ill have to look into it to see if it is worth it for us to enroll.

[LynchburgLover]

Occupy the Inn at Little Washington? Sign me up! That's sounds like my kind of protest.

Seriously, though, I don't see where the Greenway/Dulles Toll Road are any different than any other toll road -- The Chesaspeake Bay Bridge, the new Intercounty Connector in Montgomery County, the Baltimore Tunnel.

[DCmum]

I just went to Ashburn from Herndon using the greenway, it took me 10 minutes, such a smooth ride! BUt im pissed its so damn expensive