Activist seeks support for complaint against Florida tolls

Pointing out that trucking companies and owner-operators are some of the largest victims of toll abuse, transportation activist and American Statesman Organization founder Sally Baptiste is seeking trucking’s support for her plan to file a formal complaint against the state of Florida for its tolling policy.

According to an Examiner report, Florida has the most mileage of toll roads in the nation with 657 mi. Passage of recent legislation in the state will further impact truckers traveling through the state.

The new legislation, the Examiner said, will pave the way for increased tolls and more and more toll roads in the state, including tolling all Florida Interstates; making any new expressway a toll road; making any existing highway expansion a toll lane; and making any new bridge in the state a toll bridge.

Having opposed toll taxes for years, Baptiste said that the facts clearly show that toll taxes are a negative to transportation. “Florida toll taxes have nothing to do with improving transportation and I believe them to be the highest tax and cost of living increase in Florida’s history.”

Baptiste told the Examiner she is planning to file a formal complaint against the state of Florida and various public servants in an attempt to block the action that is, “grossly against the best interest of the people of Florida.”

The Florida State trucking industry will undoubtedly feel additional financial strain from this legislation and Baptiste added that anyone who is interested in taking action and joining her complaint can contact her through the American Statesman Organization contact page www.americanstatesman.org/.

“Toll taxes are proof of more reckless ‘tax and spend’ leadership from elected public servants on both sides of the isle. Toll taxes are for the special interest to the detriment of the people,” she said. “The residents of Florida pay a very big price for the reckless action by those who openly violate their sworn fiduciary duties to protect the interest of the people of Florida.”