White House proposal could allow tolls along Ga interstates (renting, crime)

[bryantm3]

i only support this if we have rail to the areas that will get the tolls. otherwise you'll have an economic barrier that will prevent poor people from commuting to work. if there's no alternative, toll roads would be a disaster for our metro area that already has a huge economic mobility problem.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by afdinatl

The Obama Administration just proposed a new law that would allow states to turn highways like Interstate 75 or 85 into toll roads

If the state of Georgia wants to do I am okay with it. The money has got to come from somewhere so why not stick it on the users?

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by ehoez

so we pay a toll, for something we already paid for ? (taxes)

Well, we have a precedent - the Peach Pass lanes...

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

The whole "only people who use roads should pay for them" is a ridiculous argument unless you want to just eliminate all taxes except sales tax. That way, only people who use things pay for them.

You're right. Apply that same reasoning to, say, public school funding... I'm sure the user fee folks would be up in arms. But, the folks with no school aged kids wouldn't have to pay for someone else to be educated. By the user fee supporters' argument, they should be pleased, but they wouldn't .

While mine is an outlandish example (I hope), it is a logical result of a "user fee for everything" argument.

[afdinatl]

It should have two lines. The Democrat and the Republican line. The Republicans can useit for free

[Robbyb03]

I will support toll roads, when traffic cops aren't allowed to write tickets for speeding, in areas where I have just paid a toll!

[Robbyb03]

Also, we (people without children or who are never going to have children) shouldn't have to pay taxes to fund schools. Let those children's PARENTS, not other adults, pay for their own children's education!

[bu2]

I'm totally for tolls-for new capacity, such as new roads, express lanes or HOT lanes.

I'm totally opposed to tolls on previously free roads. The only justification would be on a temporary basis on massive projects like the Indiana-Kentucky Ohio River bridges project in Louisville where they are rebuilding the I-65 bridge and approach (and actually building a 2nd span).

A lot of anti-road people like to tout a schedule from 3 or 4 years ago that shows that gas taxes only partly pay for roads. But if you look at that schedule in more detail, much of the money goes to transit and other items that aren't roads, so the net result is that gas taxes paid for about 105% of road costs.

Now that % erodes each year, but if gas taxes were only used for roads, there would have been plenty this last decade when there was supposedly a shortage. There's absolutely no need to toll existing roads. Politicians just want to use gas taxes on other things (as they do in Georgia as well) and fear even making a minor increase in gas taxes.

[ATLTJL]

While mine is an outlandish example (I hope), it is a logical result of a "user fee for everything" argument.

Not so outlandish as you think. You make a good point. I don't have kids, but I pay taxes for local schools and I don't mind because I realize education is important to the future of this country. I may not use every park or library, but I still support those things because I see they have great value and I want good ones nearby.

I'm really confused by the selfishness of people making this argument. If they were tea partiers, I would get it...but people who are otherwise liberals adopting an "I only want to pay for what I use" attitude...that's quite conservative! It's just a case of I'll take whatever side happens to benefit ME.

Tolls would increase the cost of transportation for goods and services. I highly doubt trucks would receive refunds or credits. So you would have a case of everybody paying more for everything, which is a completely regressive tax because the people who can afford it the least would be hit the hardest.

It would also force much more traffic onto local roads, which receive zero federal highway funds, and make traffic and wear and tear on them much worse.

I think that makes it a deal that would not, and should not, happen. And that's me speaking from a standpoint of looking at societal benefits. If it was me, I'd say toll the hell out of every road, because I'd be happy to pay the toll to have a traffic free road. But that's not good for society.

[AcidSnake]

What a well thought-out response.

Originally Posted by afdinatl

Lol