Public Choice On Toll Increase
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- Ten $1.00 Bills
Posted on 06/05/2012 6:39:06 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
CHESTERTOWN The Maryland Transportation Authority, which controls tolls on highways and bridges in the state, will have to listen harder to the public next time it decides to raise prices.
Legislation sponsored by Sen. E.J. Pipkin, R-36-Upper Shore, in the 2012 regular session, established a "protocol by which the Maryland Transportation Authority raises tolls ... and requires public comment throughout the process," according to a Pipkin press release. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate and the House. It was signed into law two weeks ago.
At the MDTA board's September meeting, where they took a unanimous vote for an increase, "those present were bystanders," Pipkin said.
"Finally, Maryland's drivers know what to expect when it comes to toll increases. When the state levies a toll increase of $225 million, the people should have a say, now they do," Pipkin stated in the press release.
The state toll-road agency was criticized for how it handled matters the previous time tolls were raised in 2009. Meetings the public could easily attend were a major issue. At the time, to avoid legislation which specified how toll increases would be handled, the MDTA adopted regulations.
A budget analysis prepared by the Department of Legislative Services for this year's General Assembly session notes "Chapter 164 of 2004 requires MDTA to provide notice to certain legislative committees prior to revising toll rates. ... In response to criticism from the legislature and public following toll increases in 2009, MDTA also issued regulations regarding additional processes for toll increases."
The rules call for 60 days' notice to the governor, General Assembly and public of proposed changes, plus public meetings within 30 miles of any "toll facility" affected. Also, the final vote on any proposal must be in an open meeting with at least 10 days' notice; and all notices are available on the agency website and in its offices.
However, citizens and legislators again faulted the MDTA in 2011.
In a November press release, after the toll hikes went into effect, Pipkin said, "It's deplorable that the unelected and unaccountable MdTA is allowed to raise the tolls at will and without a vote from the General Assembly." The eight MDTA board members are appointed by the governor and overseen by the secretary of transportation, who chairs the board.
The 36th District delegation, consisting of Pipkin and delegates Jay Jacobs, Steve Hershey and Mike Smigiel, were vocal critics of the latest toll plan. Residents of the Upper Shore must use toll crossings for the Susquehanna River or Chesapeake Bay. The legislators argued that bridge tolls were being used to carry the $2.5 billion cost of the Intercounty Connector.
During 2011, the agency held 10 public input meetings to hear comments about its toll increase. But citizens were not allowed to speak at any of its board meetings in Baltimore, including the one where the final toll plan was approved by a unanimous vote.
Public comments and legislative pressure caused the MDTA to change some details, but even so, the final plan was not available for public review until after the September vote to approve it.
As a result, citizens did not have any opportunity to weigh in on the final proposal, for or against, until the decision had been made.
"At the September meeting of the MDTA, when the toll increases passed, the public was not allowed to make comments. This law rights that wrong," said Jacobs in the press release.
"Transparency is what this bill is all about," said Smigiel, who sponsored a similar House bill. "I am glad we've pulled back the curtain to allow people more access to this process."
During the last session, the MDTA told the legislature it paid $20,000 for "contractual services" for each of the ten public meetings in 2011, or $200,000 total.
The MDTA has not published a breakdown of the meeting costs. The Department of Legislative Services' fiscal note to Pipkin's bill says "contractual services include posting public notice, recording and transcript services, printing and material costs, and review and summarization of comments submitted (but) does not include MDTA staff time spent on oversight and coordination."
Maryland “Freak State” PING!
Stupid people paying for the same patch of road over and over, while paying gas and local taxes over and over ping.
I am in Maryland and the only tolls you have are if you want to drive to Pennsylvania....however, they are hefty. I decided to get an E-Z pass because I could not stand being in line to give a few bucks. The E-Z pass is a great invention that is for sure.
Stupid people paying for the same patch of road over and over, while paying gas and local taxes over and over ping.
Why are they stupid? What choice do you have? Most states have tolls and many many more roads will become tolls as states try to find other monies to run the states. This is actually a thing I sorta like because it makes EVERYONE pay regardless of status...even welfare folks have to pay and I seriously like that.
Problem is that the money they are using to pay is already money they took from you and me. It just shuffles the redistribution into another [no] value added markup column wherein government further reduces it's efficiency.
Here in Georgia, there is only one toll road I can remember that was constructed, as a toll road, from the beginning - Georgia 400 - from rich white neighborhoods NE of Atlanta. It's intended lifetime was reached, yet even our Republican Governor squeezed out a pathetic excuse to keep the tolls.
We now have a toll lane on I85, a road built by tax money, not toll money, and its cost is based on usage, JUST FOR REVENUE....TOLLS are just that - another way of saying taxes. ANY Tax is bad, and they should be fought against to maintain the absolute minimum cost to the taxpayer, not government's aggrandizement and continued revenue stream 'just to run the states'.
From here in eastern Maryland, I don't pay tolls to drive to PA, but I do to cross the Susquehanna River, go into (or through) Baltimore, go to Annapolis, etc. Pipkin and Smiegel are both from this side of the river/bay.
Good thing you don't go to Ocean City since the Bay Bridge tolls went up too.
Familiarize yourself with the Sunshine Bridge in Louisiana. It was originally a toll bridge across the Mississippi River, but is free now that it is paid for. In the Northeast tolls don’t go away, they go up.
You don’t pay for the same gallon of milk over and over do ya? It is indeed stupid to pay for the same patch of pavement over and over after paying fuel taxes. How about this, economics for stupid people: Don’t spend more than you take in. Good grief. You Like to pay for the same patch of asphalt repeatedly? OMG.. What else do you pay for liue that? I have some things I could sell ya, if you are willing to pay for it every time you use it..
I believe I remember paying for that bridge years ago. The only road I remember going away as a pay road was in Virginia Beach. There was a road that was about 50 cents and they did away with it. Otherwise, I have not ever seen another pay road go away.
It is not that I like to pay for the road, it is just that is what you do or you don’t go on the trip or whatever. To go to Ocean City from Maryland, you 100 percent MUST pay to cross the bridge or you don’t go EVER. Sometimes common sense must be part of the discussion.
Public Choice On Toll Increase
Your Input Is Important To Us
Check one to select how you would like to pay for the new toll:
Good point. I cannot believe someone on FR is advocating a tax or fee because it’s “fair”. Tolls are stupid, plain and simple. I am from Georgia, cannot believe they have succumbed to toll road fantasy land (north of the M-D line mentality). How many times should 1 mile stretch of road be paid for? That is like saying you must pay a property tax toll every time you go home. To pay for local services and upkeep of course.
As long as it’s fair.. we should all pay for things more than once. Ummmm ok. So this is how you think it is fair to pay for a lets say.. bridge. The city applies for funds from state and federal governments to build a bridge. After the money comes in to pay for it through local, state and federal taxes.. fuel taxes are used to build and maintain it. Then you propose, in fairness, that we continue to pay for said bridge day after day after day. So, I suppose you truly think tolls are used strictly for that bridge. Just wow.
Than don’t use the bridge or road. It is the easiest solution. See if you can....
Some of us live in the upper bay area and commute to the DC area, and get hit with the tolls at both the Susquehanna and the Baltimore harbor tunnels (or bridge). Joy.
Yea, but the White Marsh I-95 toll road monstrosity will make it all better.
How much you want to bet in gets “surprisingly and “Unexpectedly” little use?
They might even advertise the road on the daio like the intercounty connector
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