Published: July 10, 2009 05:49 pm      

No apologies for turnpike tol l increase

The turnpike commission determined over two years ago that it needed to increase tolls and has spent that time attempting to justify this desire. At the meeting where this desire was finally consummated the members of the commission spent more time dealing with discounts via participation in commission sponsored programs then they did with the actual toll increase. The outcome of the toll increase vote was already determined.

Having been afforded the opportunity to attend the hearing I would like to make comments about two observations I had about the meeting.

First, the comments offered by Delegate John Shott at the meeting were probably the most clear and accurate statements of how the people of southern West Virginia feel about the toll increases. Everyone in the room was captured as he spoke and could not help but gain understanding of how we feel. John also made everyone on the commission and turnpike support staff recognize that they are now part of the broken promises offered by state government and that it is particularly hurtful to those of us in the southern part of the state when the pain is delivered by our own people (three of the five commissioners are from Southern West Virginia).

Secondly, there was really no recognition among the commission members that any other method existed to deal with the dollar shortage dilemma that they are experiencing other than a tax increase. I also noticed that rather than to take credit for the action that they were taking most blamed prior members who served on the commission for their action rather than apologize for not finding an alternative solution.

Marty Gearheart

Bluefield