NO TOLLS, Inc. - Resuscitated

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
January 24, 2009

Did you receive the January 12th letter from NO TOLLS, Inc. (NTI)? This is the group that folded in 2004 because of lack of interest in getting rid of tolls on the Illinois Tollway. Remember the reason for the tolls in the first place? Probably not.

What happens is that bureaucracy grows, original plans are cast aside, and what started out as a good idea grew out of control.

Contrast this with what happened in the Denver area with the Denver-Boulder Turnpike. The DBT opened January 19, 1952. Traffic use ballooned beyond expectations. Original estimates were that the roadway would not pay for itself in 30 years but, on September 14, 1967, the DBT became a free highway! It was paid off 15 years early!

The NTI letter reminds readers of "another" big theft by a toll employee. And the 95% salary increases for some executives of the Tollway. And that in two years the director received a 58% increase in pay. Anyone else around here get a 58% pay raise?

And have you heard about the outrageous fines for those owing money to the Tollway. They aren't just outrageous. They should be unlawful. The Tollway exerts extraordinary pressure on people to pay up by imposing surreal escalation of fines over short periods of time.

And now there is strong suspicion of a new toll/tax road announcement. And of plans to create a "free-flow lane/car pool" plan. Will the Tollway designate an existing lane that we all pay for to be used by those willing to pay even more?

And be sure not to forget the $450,000 spent by the Tollway to proclaim indicted-Gov. Blago's name above the Open-Road Tolling lanes. Yes, that's right, $450,000 for 30 signs. $15,000 per sign. Those were your toll dollars - hard at work. Yeah, sure!!!

Get your Member Information form by emailing NO TOLLS, Inc. at notolls-illinois@mchsi.com Provide a fax number, so that the USPS can be avoided. Or maybe the organization will just email it to you as an attachment.