Dem proposes $12 public highway fee'You're just reallocating money from time-sensitive to price-sensitive'
Posted: January 26, 20081:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2000 WorldNetDaily.com-->© 2008 WorldNetDaily.com
Colorado state Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver
A representative for a government already collecting state fuel taxes, license fees, ownership taxes and other fees to fund highway work now is proposing another fee – of $12 – just to drive on a public highway, according to the Rocky Mountain News.
The new consumer cost is the brainchild of Colorado State Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, who suggests that such a "reallocation" of money is a basic economic solution to congestion on Interstate 70 between Denver and the state's ski resorts in the mountains.
"You're just reallocating money from those who are time-sensitive to those who are price-sensitive, and that's a perfect market-based solution," Romer told the newspaper.
He explained to the paper this is not a "toll" on a highway he considers the Colorado economy's "carotid artery," but is a plan for "congestion-based pricing."
According to Romer's explanation, the highway gets plugged on weekend mornings during the winter with skiers heading to the slopes, so a fee of $12 should be charged for driving Interstate 70 during those weekend rush hours.
He also suggests a check of $25 be sent to those who want to travel, but choose to do so outside of those "congestion" periods.
(Story continues below)
He guesses his pilot program would need to reduce skier traffic by 10-15 percent to get motorists moving at a decent speed, which currently can drop to below 10 miles per hour in some spots on the highway, even in reasonable conditions.
Romer, who skis, told the newspaper he's tired of sitting in such rush-hour traffic, and as an investment banker would be happy to pay for his "time-sensitive" family to get to the slopes if his payments would encourage others to get out of his way.
Another lawmaker, Rep. Rob Witwer, R-Genesee, whose district includes one section of the crowded highway, said the idea of an incentive is good, "but we should avoid big government solutions or something that looks more like a fee."
Romer told the newspaper he knows a new payment for people who already have paid for the highway would be a hard sell, so he's suggesting launching with the positive incentives and moving towards a fee structure later.
His plan proposes eventual charges of $5-$12 just to drive on the public highway between 6:30 and 8:30 a.m. on weekends.
"What teenager or college student wouldn't take $25 for gas money to move their departure time up 45 minutes," Romer told the newspaper. "Throw in a Chipotle burrito and you've probably got all of them."
As part of the infrastructure to regulate drivers, Romer envisions a website for signups, and parking lot attendants armed with scanners to note the arrival times for vehicles. An alternative would be a state highway department program to read license plates, he told the paper, although he would allow an exemption for "local traffic."
On the newspaper's forum, "ham," called it "genius."
"Just another incentive to NOT make the drive and the states cut of ticket sales drops. Genius."
"As one who travels I-70 each weekend and knows full well the traffic problems, I am pleased that Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, actually verbalized this idea. Now we know what the D after his name really stands for: Dumb, Dippy, Disgusting, Disingenuous, Deluded, Dope, and even possibly Deranged," added "Solpatroller."
"The Holy Grail of Democrats that will solve any and all problems is to INCREASE TAXES! Brilliant!" added "alanbl." "I especially am interested in how he plans to pay the $25 bribe to everyone who doesn't drive during those hours. That should be a nice little hit to the treasury."
And "Sasquatch" added, "This is just the type of financial moonbattery that led to the RECALL of California's Gray Davis. Wyoming is looking better every day."
"This is a classic … Is he saying that his 'time sensitive' family is more important than every other family on the road?" asked "NSRider."
Posted: January 26, 20081:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2000 WorldNetDaily.com-->© 2008 WorldNetDaily.com
Colorado state Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver
A representative for a government already collecting state fuel taxes, license fees, ownership taxes and other fees to fund highway work now is proposing another fee – of $12 – just to drive on a public highway, according to the Rocky Mountain News.
The new consumer cost is the brainchild of Colorado State Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, who suggests that such a "reallocation" of money is a basic economic solution to congestion on Interstate 70 between Denver and the state's ski resorts in the mountains.
"You're just reallocating money from those who are time-sensitive to those who are price-sensitive, and that's a perfect market-based solution," Romer told the newspaper.
He explained to the paper this is not a "toll" on a highway he considers the Colorado economy's "carotid artery," but is a plan for "congestion-based pricing."
According to Romer's explanation, the highway gets plugged on weekend mornings during the winter with skiers heading to the slopes, so a fee of $12 should be charged for driving Interstate 70 during those weekend rush hours.
He also suggests a check of $25 be sent to those who want to travel, but choose to do so outside of those "congestion" periods.
(Story continues below)
He guesses his pilot program would need to reduce skier traffic by 10-15 percent to get motorists moving at a decent speed, which currently can drop to below 10 miles per hour in some spots on the highway, even in reasonable conditions.
Romer, who skis, told the newspaper he's tired of sitting in such rush-hour traffic, and as an investment banker would be happy to pay for his "time-sensitive" family to get to the slopes if his payments would encourage others to get out of his way.
Another lawmaker, Rep. Rob Witwer, R-Genesee, whose district includes one section of the crowded highway, said the idea of an incentive is good, "but we should avoid big government solutions or something that looks more like a fee."
Romer told the newspaper he knows a new payment for people who already have paid for the highway would be a hard sell, so he's suggesting launching with the positive incentives and moving towards a fee structure later.
His plan proposes eventual charges of $5-$12 just to drive on the public highway between 6:30 and 8:30 a.m. on weekends.
"What teenager or college student wouldn't take $25 for gas money to move their departure time up 45 minutes," Romer told the newspaper. "Throw in a Chipotle burrito and you've probably got all of them."
As part of the infrastructure to regulate drivers, Romer envisions a website for signups, and parking lot attendants armed with scanners to note the arrival times for vehicles. An alternative would be a state highway department program to read license plates, he told the paper, although he would allow an exemption for "local traffic."
On the newspaper's forum, "ham," called it "genius."
"Just another incentive to NOT make the drive and the states cut of ticket sales drops. Genius."
"As one who travels I-70 each weekend and knows full well the traffic problems, I am pleased that Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, actually verbalized this idea. Now we know what the D after his name really stands for: Dumb, Dippy, Disgusting, Disingenuous, Deluded, Dope, and even possibly Deranged," added "Solpatroller."
"The Holy Grail of Democrats that will solve any and all problems is to INCREASE TAXES! Brilliant!" added "alanbl." "I especially am interested in how he plans to pay the $25 bribe to everyone who doesn't drive during those hours. That should be a nice little hit to the treasury."
And "Sasquatch" added, "This is just the type of financial moonbattery that led to the RECALL of California's Gray Davis. Wyoming is looking better every day."
"This is a classic … Is he saying that his 'time sensitive' family is more important than every other family on the road?" asked "NSRider."
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