State Sen. David Shafer,
R-Duluth, and State Rep. Bob Irvin, R-Atlanta, both introduced
resolutions to curtail the state's Road and Tollway Authority use
of toll revenue.
The resolutions are an
attempt to stop the possible use of funds like Ga. Highway 400
tolls to pay for projects like the Northern Arc - a highly
controversial limited access highway proposed to pass east to west
through Gwinnett, Forsyth, Cherokee and Bartow counties.
Shafer said continuing to
collect tolls once a road is paid for turns the funds from a user
fee to a tax. He also would like to see the eventual removal of
the toll booths as they impede traffic.
"The toll on Georgia 400 or
any other toll road should be used only for that road," Shafer
said. "It should not be used for generating revenue or any other
road project."
Irvin sent the following
letter to Gov. Roy Barnes and Jim Croy executive director of the
Road and Tollway Authority, relative to his resolution:
"Gentlemen:
"When it came to light on
Monday that the Tollway Authority had executed a contract with the
Federal Highway Administration which would allow the state to take
'excess' toll money from one project and spend it on another, many
legislators including myself were surprised.
"As I have understood it, the
new contract conforms to the current federal transportation law,
and gives the state the right to do this. However, the Tollway
Authority has not yet adopted a policy as to whether it will or
will not actually transfer money from one project to another.
"I would urge that the
Tollway Authority adopt a policy that says unequivocally that it
will not use 'excess' toll money on any project other than the one
whose users generated the tolls. This is the subject of my
resolution, H.R. 1539, which gathered two dozen signatures of
legislators representing the Georgia 400 corridor just as a result
of my point of personal privilege on April 2. More may be added as
well. I enclose a copy of this resolution for your information.
It makes the arguments as to why I believe you should adopt the
policy I suggest."
"Regardless of whether the
resolutions passes, or gets lost in the session-end rush, the
Tollway Authority should know that there is substantial
legislative interest in it. Moreover, the Tollway Authority has
the power, on its own, to do the right thing, so I would urge you
to do so.
"Sincerely,
Bob Irvin"
