I don't want either, but if I have to choose, I'd say sales tax. My significant other works in South Walton and a toll would just create another bill we (my wife and I) would be forced to PAY EVERY MONTH! So, if it's one or the other, I say sales tax. Nevertheless, we need that other bridge...I just wish I knew of a better way to get it.
WCTA Position On Hwy 331 Bridge Referendum
- Thread starter Bob Hudson
- Start date
-
Trouble logging in? Send us a message with your username and/or email address for help.
I am so certain that a toll bridge will create a negative commerce trade between North and South Walton that I will strongly consider selling my property just North of the bridge. I am even more certain the toll will be greater than $2.00. I am fairly certain there will be toll booths because collection rates are not very good for the licence plate system. Please do not believe everything that FDOT says right now. They have one purpose and that is to build a toll bridge in Walton County. The political machine uses words to mislead the masses.
Please quit comparing the Midbay bridge with the 331 bridge. It is not an apples to apples comparison. Freeport is not the same as Niceville. Walton county is not Okaloosa county. There is only one bridge in Walton and there are two in Okaloosa. I could go on but I believe this comparison only serves one interest (ram the toll with manipulative methods down our throats).
lazin&drinkin, thank you for the very kind words and you are certainly right in your assessment of my actions and feeling as well as my deep respect for you. That said, I have never been a single issue person when it comes to support of any organization. I have been informed of certain changes in the leadership of the WCTA that leave me cold in the manner in which they occurred. Therefore, my wife and I will not be renewing our membership. I know my lack of renewal will have no effect whatsoever on the WCTA but it will make me feel better.
I strongly believe the WCTA has the responsibility and duty to not only be a watchdog for our tax dollars, but to also inform and educate our citizens on issues regarding the expenditure of their tax dollars. In my view, in this particular case, they did neither, one way or the other.
While I do not believe the BCC will approve a toll if the sales tax fails, I believe from observing past actions by FDOT and the Turnpike Authority, it will not be very long before a toll bridge is built at the state's expense and the toll will be never ending. When I started crossing the MidBay Bridge to Eglin the toll was $2.00. It is now $3.00 and $2.50 if you have a Sun Pass. I need to go to Eglin on occassion but my need to go to DeFuniak Springs or Freeport will be greatly deminished with the advent of a toll bridge should I still be here. I feel I am not alone in this opinion.
That pretty well sums up my position on the bridge issue and is the last I have to say on it except that I will be voting for it, futile though it may be.
I strongly believe the WCTA has the responsibility and duty to not only be a watchdog for our tax dollars, but to also inform and educate our citizens on issues regarding the expenditure of their tax dollars. In my view, in this particular case, they did neither, one way or the other.
While I do not believe the BCC will approve a toll if the sales tax fails, I believe from observing past actions by FDOT and the Turnpike Authority, it will not be very long before a toll bridge is built at the state's expense and the toll will be never ending. When I started crossing the MidBay Bridge to Eglin the toll was $2.00. It is now $3.00 and $2.50 if you have a Sun Pass. I need to go to Eglin on occassion but my need to go to DeFuniak Springs or Freeport will be greatly deminished with the advent of a toll bridge should I still be here. I feel I am not alone in this opinion.
That pretty well sums up my position on the bridge issue and is the last I have to say on it except that I will be voting for it, futile though it may be.
The big difference between the Mid-Bay Bridge and the proposed 331 toll bridge is that the Mid-Bay opened up a new route that saved time and fuel if you were going from Destin to Niceville.
The 331 bridge over the bay is already existing. Having two more lanes does not provide a new route. The only change for current users of the bridge is having to pay a toll.
I think this is a big distinction. I support the new bridge but not the toll. As much as I dislike an increase in the sales tax, I just don't believe the toll will ever be removed.
And you really believe a tax will be removed?
Neither the tax or toll would go away in our lifetime. I think we could live with the tax and we should vote for the tax. Unfortunately this forum maybe a minority in that thinking. Because we already have a bridge it was an impossible task to convince people that we need a new bridge and that we have to pay for it with a tax. FDOT has wanted the toll all along and they knew it would be impossible for this county to pass the tax. They continue to manipulate the BCC with carrots of discounts for local citizens and then almost is the same breath they say "but it will delay the length of time required to pay it off". FDOT knows full well that once they have a contract for the toll no one in Walton county will have a say on any of it ever again. FDOT could claim repairs and maintenance to keep the toll forever. The toll will not go away. FDOT is very deceptive and they do not keep their promises. It takes money and time to educate people into a tax increase. We never had a chance...
This is what the Ballot says,
Levy of Charter County and Regional Transportation System Surtax
( Vote for One )
Shall Walton County levy a sales surtax within Walton County at a rate of 0.5% to pay debt service and to
fund costs associated with the construction of improvements to the U.S. Highway 331 bridge over the
Choctawhatchee Bay, which levy shall be deposited into a restricted-use trust fund, beginning
January 1, 2013 and expiring December 31 of the year debt issued for the bridge improvements is
repaid?
Levy of Charter County and Regional Transportation System Surtax
( Vote for One )
Shall Walton County levy a sales surtax within Walton County at a rate of 0.5% to pay debt service and to
fund costs associated with the construction of improvements to the U.S. Highway 331 bridge over the
Choctawhatchee Bay, which levy shall be deposited into a restricted-use trust fund, beginning
January 1, 2013 and expiring December 31 of the year debt issued for the bridge improvements is
repaid?
This language would not prevent the BCC to define "bridge improvements" as maintenance and repair for both the North and South bound bridges or upgrading the old bridge. There will need to be a precise definition for "bridge improvements" and possible "restricted-use trust" before any of us should feel comfortable with the tax expiring. If the language is corrected or amended with limiting definitions as for as use of the funds then it becomes very likely that the tax will expire. What an opportunity we have to get this road and bridge if only we had the time to fully educate our voters! Of course FDOT knew that we would not have the time or the money to pass the tax and the toll will never go away and will continue to increase. FDOT has slam dunked a never ending toll (tax that is hidden in semantics) while each voter that votes No to the tax believes that they are voting against more tax and government expansion. These voters will never know what hit them...
I'm sorry but this seems to admit your poll basically mislead your own members.
If the choice isn't really no for both, then people are going to be stuck with the toll. If people really can say no to both, and live with the fact they won't get a bridge as a result, that's fine. But if they vote no to the tax and then have no choice but getting the toll for a bridge that's going to be built anyway, they've just been completely hoodwinked and are stuck with the greater of two evils, not the lesser.
Why wasn't one of the questions "If you must choose a sales tax or a toll, which would you pick?"
Last edited: