Suitable_Creme_3865 t1_j0uckfj wrote
Reply to comment by Super-Lychee8852 in Toll Fees by Areeves50
I don’t have children, should I not have to pay taxes toward the education system? The primary reason to abolish tolls is the cost of collecting/administering them. That creates an inefficiency that’s worth of only the government. 10 year ago the highest toll collectors earned $80k. That number is likely north of $100k now. Start salaries around $40k. Plus benefits, overtime, differentials. Then add all of the administrative staff for ezpass, fines, management, etc. Then consider cost of construction, maintenance and utilities on the toll houses. If we had a “single payer system” aka our collective taxes, we would save all of that overheard on cost of the turnpike, and that would leave just road maintenance. This is how it works north of Augusta.
Super-Lychee8852 t1_j0wb5zc wrote
No you shouldn't be forced to support the school system. Toll collectors currently make $41,600 a year. Managers maybe make 80k but I'd be surprised if they make that much and there's only a couple of them. Those are jobs for people for a system that's completely self funded. Road north of Augusta isn't nearly as well taken care of as the pike. It's not very inefficient as it creates a better product for the user and those who don't use it don't have to pay up for it and over 50% of it is paid by out of staters instead of our own Mainers. Sure there are probably things the pike could probably do better but no agency does anything perfect.
The pike isn't a bad thing
Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments