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Letter to the editor

Today's Letters: Task force concerned

Bayway residents team up, fight tolls Feb. 27, story

The Citizens Bayway Task Force appreciates the excellent article by Nick Johnson regarding our community's concern over the proposed increase in Pinellas Bayway tolls.

The root of our concern is the transfer of Pinellas Bayway toll pricing from the Legislature to the Florida Department of Transportation. Once this is done, all citizen input to the toll-setting process will be lost to political appointees.

In the article, the House bill's sponsor, Rep. Jim Frishe, is quoted as saying, "It's poor public policy to put tolls in the statute."

Given our history with FDOT's mismanagement of toll revenues, I must respectfully disagree.

I'd like to see our elected representatives spend less time cozying up to the state roadies and more time addressing the concerns of the citizens of their districts, which at the moment are to maintain or eliminate the current toll structure on the Pinellas Bayway.

Travis Jarman, co-chairman, Citizens Bayway Task Force, St. Petersburg

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[Last modified March 5, 2008, 00:52:26]