Toll Petition
Right now politicians are debating erecting as many as 8 Portland-Metro wide tolls with no vote from the public.
The public-vote-on-tolls petition (Initiative Petition #4) would require a simple public vote for any tolling to be enacted in Oregon. This helps puts taxpayers in charge of their own taxation. Already politicians are looking at nearly 8 tolls in Oregon, costing anywhere from $2, $4 to as much as $8 each toll. Many people would be forced to pay for multiple tolls just to get to work and again to drive home.
We will send you a Right-to-Vote toll petition, just email us your name and address below, and put subject headline “send toll petition” (Only Oregon voters can sign this petition)
5 reasons why voters should have a say in tolling
#1. Tolling will make it costly to go to work.
Some commuters will have to pass several tolls, costing $2 to $8, just to get to work and back every day.
#2. Oregon taxpayers already pay high gas taxes to pay for roads.
Oregon’s gas tax is the nation’s 13th highest -- and that does not include Portland’s 10-cent gas tax.
#3. Oregon tolling used to be for creating something new.
In Oregon’s past, tolling was used to build a bridge and then disappeared after construction costs were paid off. Now, politicians want to put tolls on already-paid-for roads as a way to rake in extra money from drivers.
#4. Tolling will bring congestion to your neighborhood.
Tolling will steer thousands of cars off the highway and into your neighborhood to avoid the high-priced tolls. This will cause a traffic jam nightmare in your community and will increase travel delays, air quality and traffic accidents. Willamette Week spoke on people's fears of congestion in their neighborhood caused by tolling, "[Portland's Overlook neighborhood] residents say it's a cozy residential neighborhood where children can play in the streets. They fear commuters will soon view it as something else: a route home that dodges highway tolls. "I see some frantic drivers getting to work and going home," says Fred Brewer, 58, an Overlook resident for the past 18 years. "They're going to hit some people." ... "It's going to be a problem," says Overlook Neighborhood Association chairman Chris Trejbal. "If people don't want to pay the tolls, they're going to get off the highway." (Willamette Week 6/20/18)
#5. Our road taxes are being wasted on non-road projects.
Oregon has awarded out $75 million in tax breaks to over 20,000 Oregonians who could afford electric vehicles which often cost $62,000 on average. ODOT has pledged to spend $100 million building electric vehicle charging stations. ODOT said the $100 million goal is to “help motivate Oregonians to choose an EV for their next car.” Why would Oregon drivers be tolled by hundreds of millions of dollars while our Department of Transportation is wasting hundreds of millions of the same dollars on cash subsidizes for the richest of Oregonians to spend on some of the most expensive vehicles?
#6. Voters should be a part of the process.
Taxpayers should have a voice in their own taxation. It only makes sense.
We will send you a Right-to-Vote toll petition, just email us your name and address below, and put subject headline “send toll petition” (Only Oregon voters can sign this petition)
Jason Williams
Executive Director, Founder
Taxpayers Association of Oregon
503-643-1400
PO Box 23573
Tigard, OR, 97281
OregonWatchdog.com
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