TEXAS LIVING!

Here we go again folks! The tax-payers and Portland commuters are still caught in the middle of politics. And what an ugly word that is. The following text was copied from today’s Vancouver Columbian: Local legislators offered a two-word reality check Friday to people wondering how the region will pay for a new Interstate 5 bridge across the Columbia River: Expect tolls. "Tolls are going to be part of the mix" on every major state transportation project from now on, said state Rep. Bill Fromhold, D-Vancouver, responding to a question at Friday's legislative preview breakfast, sponsored by Clark County business groups. "If we want the bridge, we're going to have to pay forward," agreed Rep. Deb Wallace, also a Vancouver Democrat. "To me, tolls are a true user tax," said Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside. "But they can't be the only source." A new Columbia River Crossing will benefit the entire state, he noted. Not every lawmaker was comfortable with the concept of tolls, especially for Clark County residents who commute daily to jobs in Oregon. THIS IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE; yet our political leaders (and I use that word loosely) are compounding the problem by the continued debate over payment for the new I-5 bridge spanning the Columbia River between Vancouver, WA. and Portland, OR. Toll roads and bridges are accepted as part of the traffic culture in lots of States, especially here in North Texas. New electronic technology has replaced toll booths, yet apparently the Northwest wants to operate in the dark ages. Here’s the ‘fix folks: 1) Use new technology and a toll tag on your windshield, with a reduced charge to those to sign up for the account; 2) Make cash tolls expensive enough that the toll tag account becomes more attractive; 3) Limit the number of cash toll booths, to also make having the toll tag account more attractive; and finally, 4) The cost of the new bridge should be born by both the commuter and residents on both sides of the river! After-all, everyone benefits by the transportation of goods that use the river crossings in both directions. THIS IS NOT just a SW Washington issue. Supplementing the toll would be an increase in local gas taxes in Washington AND Oregon, dedicated to the bridge replacement project. And a small percentage increase in the auto excise tax for both States. It is a given that there is not enough current tax revenue to fund capital transportation projects, let alone capital projects for education, social services, and law enforcement/corrections. And then of course there is always the opportunities to find more efficiencies in government! And that is a whole new topic!