WSDOT plan to turn all roads into Toll Roads?

[Diamondback]

I still want a Constitutional amendment passed that, whenever the Legislature passes a new tax or tax increase (limited to a true increase, if it's revenue-neutral like increasing one while reducing another by the same amount of projected revenue this doesn't trigger), those who voted for it in each chamber must draw lots, and the short-straw from each chamber is Drawn & Quartered right there on that chamber's floor by their own fellow legislators.

Then again, I also believe each chamber should be required to hang one senior incumbent at the start of every session, "pour encourager les outres" like Admiral Byng. One considers one's deeds and words more carefully when the potential exists for being called to back them up with one's life, after all...

 

[ma96782]

With the drop in crude oil prices (from about $80 to $50).....didn't they (WA and OR) just recently increase the gas tax?

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STORY TIME
This past January I visited my son in San Diego. I got back home and about 2 or 3 weeks later I got a notice in the mail that I had violated a CA toll road, by not paying. The letter said I'd have to pay over a $100 (can't remember exactly). But, if I paid within X days, I'd only have to pay them something like $10 (the actual toll + maybe also an added small fee, I forget). The good new was.....I was being offered the smaller charge because, I hadn't violated their toll law within the last couple years. LOL. I was getting a break. Lucky me. Rrrright?

Humm......as a tourist to CA, how was I supposed to know? Signs. Perhaps, I might have passed one, in the heavy rain. But, where was the booth to pay the toll? Like on the Golden Gate Bridge or the Tacoma Bridge. I don't recall passing any toll booth. Because, if I did.... I would have paid the toll....no problem.

So, I called my sister (Los Angeles, CA Resident) to ask her about this. I read her the letter and told her where it said that the violation had occurred. She was familiar with the location. She told me that on some roads....CA collects their tolls via an electronic box placed on your dashboard. An actual booth is NOT placed on the road (no need to pay for a real person, saves money).

OK, Ok, ok....whatever. I paid the bill.

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For F***s sake. I'd bet ya.....that those A-holes in Olympia are probably getting their toll road ideas from relocated Californians. Rrrright. Like I really needed another reason to hate CA/Californians or the A-holes in Olympia.

Aloha, Mark

 

[Member 5605]

They would just make it a stick on tag transponder. People don't seem to keep up with how far tech has come. Have any idea how small the Phase II chip in your cell phone is? That chip makes your phone visible to satellites people. Since I have to drive a toll road a lot I have transponders on my cars. They are the size of a bandaid. The same thing could easily hold a chip to do mileage. They just make it a law you have to have one to register your car. This is not anything like the way people want to believe it is. Now many will of course register their car in another state. This also is not something new here guys. People have been doing this all my life. Live in a state with high fees, register car in another. Of course get caught and they will fine you far more than you just saved. This keeps being "talked about" by politicians because they are testing the waters. Soon I have no doubt they will try it. As long as they can get the rubes who vote to go along why not. Look at the crap they already get voters to go for and people really think this is a bridge too far?

They don't have to MAKE you get a special chip.

Embed it behind the reflective of your tag stickers. That sir is how it's done. Buy new tags, bam! Already there.

Faraday cages will appear around license plates overnight.

 

[Diamondback]

Faraday cages will appear around license plates overnight.

Or tags will start getting baked in microwave ovens before they get applied to fry the chip...

 

[Alexx1401]

They don't have to MAKE you get a special chip.

Embed it behind the reflective of your tag stickers. That sir is how it's done. Buy new tags, bam! Already there.

Faraday cages will appear around license plates overnight.

That's what I meant by force you to do it at registration. They would just make the chip part of your tags. Then it would just be a matter of how they bill you. This is dead simple to do. When they finally do it there will be of course those who come up with ways to defeat it of course. People do it now with the plate readers. Of course again, get caught and they will make it VERY expensive. All they are waiting for is enough voters to go along with it.

 

[Flymph]

The plan to turn every road into a toll road

This is Crazy. Is this really possible?

It's capitalism, baby!

 

[slimmer13]

It's capitalism, baby!

Capitalism is individual rights and free markets

 

[Alexx1401]

Capitalism is individual rights and free markets

This kind of stuff is done to the voters by the Voters. You can't really blame the politicians for doing what the voters allow.

 

[notazombie]

FWIW there is already a "plan" in place. I ran across this on 167 when I was over there for work a couple weeks ago.
Good To Go! | Official WSDOT website | WSDOT

 

[partsed]

Anything like this should come before the voters for an up or down vote.

 

[Alexx1401]

Anything like this should come before the voters for an up or down vote.

In a round about way it does. These kind of laws are put in place by people the voters put there. They pass laws, the voters send them back over and over. It will never change until enough voters get a belly full. From what I have seen I would not hold your breath waiting for that to happen just yet.
I have seen some versions of initiatives talked about to force them to put stuff like this to voters direct. I can already tell you what will happen if it's done. The legislature will do one of two things. They will fight it in court until they win and defeat it, or they will pass another law to defeat it. Remember WA state car tabs? Voters still are not ready just yet to change things.

 

[ikemay]

I believe this is a war on vehicles and a proliferation of the "man-made catastrophic climate change agenda", which is BS by the way IMHO.

They could require a transponder in every vehicle and/or require you to pay a fixed mileage rate for those who don't drive much or live in areas where it would be cost prohibitive to set up transponder tracking equipment. They currently can simply get your license plate number on many roads and mail you a toll bill. Not to mention people voluntarily doing this ...... though their "smart" phones (to avoid the transponder cost) which come with GPS software in conjunction with some kind of government toll-app.

 

[11Charlie]

No matter how you slice it, its a load of crap!!

I really hope that it is just fake news.

 

[Wayne]

There is a lady from the state on KIRO radio right now explaining how this will work and how they are starting trials.

 

[ikemay]

There is a lady from the state on KIRO radio right now explaining how this will work and how they are starting trials.

 

[edslhead]

FWIW there is already a "plan" in place. I ran across this on 167 when I was over there for work a couple weeks ago.
Good To Go! | Official WSDOT website | WSDOT

Seattle Tacoma area Let the starbucks drinkin city folk pay. Tax coffee up there while your at it.

 

[Diamondback]

Seattle Tacoma area Let the starbucks drinkin city folk pay. Tax coffee up there while your at it.

Better idea, tax legislation. When a bill is passed, each sponsor is assessed a Word Tax of a dollar per word in it, except bills lowering taxes or repealing existing laws which shall not be taxed.

Also, put a supplemental 15% B&O tax on being a legislator. Let those who make the laws pay for them...

 

[edslhead]

I like that idea

 

[Alexx1401]

No matter how you slice it, its a load of crap!!

I really hope that it is just fake news.

This is anything but fakenews. Many states, not just WA, have been playing with this for a very long time now. I guess a lot of people just have not paid attention to it so far. Back in the early days of law makers talking about it the "tech" was not really there yet. Now days the tech is dead simple to do this.

This reminds me a lot of something that happened long ago. Some of you were around when there was only one phone Co. which was a controlled monopoly. When the internet was still a gleam in Algore's eye they several times sent up trial balloons about making your land line (they were not called that then) something you paid for by the minutes used. Like they did with long distance. Every time they floated it, it went over like lead. At the time I could not understand what they were after. I soon found out. The days of dial up modems were at hand. The phone Co knew this and was trying to get ahead.

When very efficient cars started to become mainstream law makers started trying to figure out a way to tax mileage. They could see a huge pot of money just waiting to be tapped. All they had to do it get the voters to go for it. They are very close. I have no doubt they will get it in some places. Liberal states like CA, NY, WA, OR are all in a race to see who gets in on it first.

 

[11Charlie]

This is anything but fakenews. Many states, not just WA, have been playing with this for a very long time now. I guess a lot of people just have not paid attention to it so far. Back in the early days of law makers talking about it the "tech" was not really there yet. Now days the tech is dead simple to do this.

This reminds me a lot of something that happened long ago. Some of you were around when there was only one phone Co. which was a controlled monopoly. When the internet was still a gleam in Algore's eye they several times sent up trial balloons about making your land line (they were not called that then) something you paid for by the minutes used. Like they did with long distance. Every time they floated it, it went over like lead. At the time I could not understand what they were after. I soon found out. The days of dial up modems were at hand. The phone Co knew this and was trying to get ahead.

When very efficient cars started to become mainstream law makers started trying to figure out a way to tax mileage. They could see a huge pot of money just waiting to be tapped. All they had to do it get the voters to go for it. They are very close. I have no doubt they will get it in some places. Liberal states like CA, NY, WA, OR are all in a race to see who gets in on it first.

Guess its time to go buy an old hot rod then. Shut my phone off and tell everyone to take a flying leap. something like this just may break the camel's back and get me to move out of this !@$%ing state.