Hotel Vegas
Walking in Ignorance
RECEIVED Fri., June 17, 2005
Editor,
Democracy fails when people walk in ignorance. Our community is torn over the toll road debate, yet a little light may help heal the division.
At its June meeting, CAMPO released information that building all of our proposed toll road projects as “free” roads could be accomplished with a tiny 1.6 cent per gallon increase in the (local) gas tax. A year ago CTRMA Director Mike Heiligenstein said that it would cost $2-3 per gallon! I think he lied.
CAMPO, hearing the news, passed a one-year moratorium on committing to new toll projects, but all roads under construction now will proceed with previously allocated gas tax money. During the interim CAMPO will consider dropping the toll plan.
Poor people should rejoice at this news. They can afford 1.6 cents but not the $1,000 per year in tolls they would have to pay otherwise. Many poor people drive trucks full of tools to work and can't ride a bus.
Environmentalists should also be pleased if tolls are deleted. Having toll-evading cars stacked up on neighborhood streets degrades air quality.
Civil libertarians cringe at the thought of having their daily travel recorded in Big Brother CTRMA's database. But the major media have not reported the news and none of these people can register their opinions with their elected officials if they are uninformed.
Democracy fails when people walk in ignorance. Our community is torn over the toll road debate, yet a little light may help heal the division.
At its June meeting, CAMPO released information that building all of our proposed toll road projects as “free” roads could be accomplished with a tiny 1.6 cent per gallon increase in the (local) gas tax. A year ago CTRMA Director Mike Heiligenstein said that it would cost $2-3 per gallon! I think he lied.
CAMPO, hearing the news, passed a one-year moratorium on committing to new toll projects, but all roads under construction now will proceed with previously allocated gas tax money. During the interim CAMPO will consider dropping the toll plan.
Poor people should rejoice at this news. They can afford 1.6 cents but not the $1,000 per year in tolls they would have to pay otherwise. Many poor people drive trucks full of tools to work and can't ride a bus.
Environmentalists should also be pleased if tolls are deleted. Having toll-evading cars stacked up on neighborhood streets degrades air quality.
Civil libertarians cringe at the thought of having their daily travel recorded in Big Brother CTRMA's database. But the major media have not reported the news and none of these people can register their opinions with their elected officials if they are uninformed.
Vincent J. May
Libertarian Party Transportation Committee
Libertarian Party Transportation Committee
