Tennessee lawmakers advance bills to amend tollway act

[Guest aBRG2far]

Tennessee lawmakers advance bills to amend tollway act

http://www.landlinemag.com/todays_news/Daily/2008/Apr08/040108/040208-05.htm

With the state struggling to pay for needed transportation work, multiple measures moving through the Tennessee statehouse would expand the number of projects that could be paid off through tolls.

The state has no toll roads, but Gov. Phil Bredesen signed a bill into law last year that authorized tolling as a method to pay for new road and bridge work. The “Tennessee Tollway Act†allows the state to issue bonds and incur debt to pay for two pilot toll projects: one bridge and one road.

The law allows tolls “as an additional and alternative method†to pay for highway work. It doesn’t specify toll roads or rates.

With the movement toward tolling, the state’s Senate and House have approved a bill that would limit the operation of toll facilities. The bill – SB2724 – would require any companies contracting with the state to operate toll roads or bridges to be majority American owned.

Sen. Tim Burchett, R-Knoxville, said he doesn’t support toll facilities, but if they come to Tennessee he wants to require them to be operated by American businesses. He said the measure would emulate Federal Communications Commission rules that require radio stations to be American-owned to prevent foreign interference in cases of national emergency.

SB2724 has moved to the governor’s desk.

Another bill moving forward would remove a cap on the number of toll projects that could be built.

House Transportation Chairman Phillip Pinion, D-Union City, said he would like to see more projects made available for tolling. As a result, Pinion introduced a bill – HB2868 – that would amend the law to drop the two project limit and allow the Tennessee Department of Transportation to look into as many toll projects as it chooses.

The House voted 77-13 to advance the bill to the Senate for further consideration.

A similar measure to expand the state’s tolling authority recently won approval in the House Public Transportation and Highways Subcommittee. Sponsored by Rep. William Borchert, D-Camden, the bill would authorize a third pilot toll project.

Borchert’s bill – HB2836 – would specify a bridge be erected over the Tennessee River to connect Benton and Houston counties via state Route 147.

Another bill also calls for adding a third project. Rep. G.A. Hardaway, D-Memphis, wants to authorize a bridge crossing the Mississippi River in the Memphis area.

Hardaway’s bill – HB2768 – and Borchert’s bill are in the House Transportation Committee. The companion versions in the Senate – SB3718 and SB3003, respectively – also are in committee.

Supporters of tolling in the state point to encouragement from the federal government to consider alternative methods to pay for road and bridge work as a way to compensate for fewer federal funds. Tennessee has lost out on more than $230 million in federal funds this budget year, The Associated Press reported.

Opponents say toll roads amount to an extra tax, when fuel and other taxes should cover road building. Others say Bredesen should repay about $280 million diverted from the state’s road fund during his first term to other programs.

[DWARREN123]

Built and mantained with our taxes then we have to pay to use them, I think not!

[saintsfanbrian]

I vote to put the toll roads at the entrance of Mississippi to Memphis and the bridge going to Arkansas from here. Let out of state workers help foot the bill.

[Guest sling]

I vote to put the toll roads at the entrance of Mississippi to Memphis and the bridge going to Arkansas from here. Let out of state workers help foot the bill.

+1

[Mike.357]

I may be wrong on this but I believe when the tollway in Fla was built is was supposed to only be a toll road for as long as it took to pay the debt of building the thing. well the debt was payed and the tolls are still being collected.

Sounds like double dipping is gonna happen around here too. I just hope I never need to drive on one of them to get back and forth to work.

[Guest dotsun]

Yep, that's exactly the way taxes work, Mike. They vote it in promising it'll be short term and later decide they really need that money for the good of the people. Pretty soon you're paying taxes on every damn thing politicians can figure out how to tax. Hell I even pay tax on my utility bill, so in essence I'm taxed when I take a crap.

[strickj]

Alot are like that Mike.I guess once they have the money for the roads,they just find another thing that needs money

[Guest jackdog]

Yup and then they turn around years latter and sell the publicly paid for roads to forgien investment groups, I.E. indiana toll road chicago sky way, How do they get away with this crap.

[saintsfanbrian]

Because they are politicians and they are above the law. Our government has gotten WAY out of WHACK and we are to blame. This is not in the spirit that it was intended when the Constitution was written but we as a society have gotten lax in our due diligence to make sure our politicians are doing what is best for us and not the other way around.

Reduce the pay for politicians and institute term limits (and don't tell me that the voters are the ultimate in term limits, the vast majority of voters are not informed enough to make a truly good decision) and many or our problems will go away.

Government service should not be a way to make a lot of money. Ask the military about that one.