Peter DeFazio, who was recently appointed chairman of the highway, transit and pipeline subcommittee of the house transportation and infrastructure committee explains, "I'm not opposed to tolls, as long as they are structured in such a way as to protect the public,"
DeFazio, in a recent interview with the Portland Tribune, commented that he believes tolls may be needed to help finance such large-scale project as the replacement of Interstate 5 Bridge over the Columbia River.
DeFazio however, is concerned about potential abuse of public-private partnerships on transportation projects.
After a testy exchange that occurred between DeFazio and Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels during a May 2006 on an existing toll road (part of Indiana Interstate 90 Tollway), Daniels testifies the State has leased to a partnership of two private companies, the Australia-based Macquarie Infrastructure Group and the Spanish firm Cintra, Concesiones de Infraestructuras de Transporte – jointly called MIG-Cintra.
MIG-Cintra as an example, paid Indiana $3.8 billion to lease the roadway and will be able to set and collect tolls for 75 years.
“They’ll get their investment back in 15 years and reap 60 years of profits,” predicts DeFazio
if the state [Oregon] decides to lease state owned roads to private companies, I hope that the people are allowed to have some say in the matter.
4 comments:
Kansas has toll freeways(we have I-5)and they have been paying the fee for more than 50 years. I wouldn't mind the toll (it is fairly small) however, I think the money needs to go to maintaining the roads, not lining someone's pocket. We are a progressive state and perhaps we could find another way to make it work.
what happens when you reach a toll booth and you don't have any money on you? do they turn you around?
Teddy somehow thinks that our economy is booming. however my net income disagrees with his theory.
and what about the GPS... oh wait.. I forgot that will be billed at the pump.
This trend to sell out the infrastructure of the U.S. is a concerted effort to sell the assets of the U.S. out from under all of us. Why is it that we no longer are able to run our own ports or build and maintain our own roads. Our government is performing like a bunch of drug addicts, spending money we don't have running around the world trying to "spread democracy" while neglecting our own house. Selling our TV and furniture in order to get our next fix.
Follow the money.
The huge Wall St. investment companies have found a lucrative way to make millions of dollars by working with foreign investments to purchase U.S. assets for rock bottom prices. This is done with very little public input and often against public outcry.
Rep. DeFazio seems to have a good handle on this problem and needs our support to counteract the onslaught of high paid, well orchestrated lobbists that will be trying to wear him down. He is also one of the few Democrats that supported the tough House bill to restrict the flow of illegals into this country.
One of the best examples in our country is the state of Hawaii. All those hotels and resorts are owned by rich foreign investors and the state doesn't get any of the riches. Most of the owners are Arab or Japanese so we know the money is going out of our country. There are millions of dollars pouring into paradise and the 'natives' are starving. This should be illegal!
And toll raods are not usually manned; it is a machine that you toss your coins into. No money- the gate doesn't open.
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