COLLIN COUNTY(WBAP/KLIF) Plano Representative, Matt Sheheen filed a bill to get rid of tolls on toll roads once they’re paid off. “I’ve talked to constituents who’ve paid thousands and thousands of dollars on tolls every year…especially in Collin County,” Sheheen said. “Some people are pushing 10 dollars a day to get to work, it’s terrible,” he said.
Sheheen said if passed it would end tolls operated by the North Texas Tollway Authority once the 9.2 billion dollar debt is paid off in 2048. NTTA officials say the bill is a bad idea because the tolls cover future maintenance costs, however, Sheheen said the state will come up with a budget for maintenance. “From now until 2048 it’ll be up to the state to budget enough transportation dollars to resume responsibility for the maintenance of those roads,” Sheheen said.
Part of the budget will come from transportation taxes but Sheheen says it will save people a lot of money. “Now their property taxes, sales taxes and gas taxes they pay when they’re filling up their tanks will go towards it and they won’t have to pay the tools…that’s really how it supposed to be,” Sheheen.
Sheheen said they’re waiting to get a committee hearing in the near future, he said it’s a long and hard process to get bills passed but he’s hoping this will be one bill that will be signed into law.
