As most of you know, I have great respect for all our commissioners and think the world of each and every one of them, but sometimes I don't agree with their points of view. Last month, Commissioner Jim Coletta expressed his views on tolling the two free lanes the FDOT is about to build on I-75, to pay to build an additional four lanes, which will total 10 lanes on I-75 -- four free lanes that exist now and six toll lanes. I have a different point of view. You will have to decide for yourself which viewpoint you think is best.

I was the first commissioner to speak out against tolling the new free lanes (already paid by the state and federal government) of I-75. I believe we should build the next two lanes, which are already funded by state and federal dollars, and build the additional lanes with the money the State receives from the Alligator Alley tolls, which are currently being used for roads in other parts of the state.

We could bond out that revenue to begin building the additional four lanes, which can then be tolled to finish paying for the project. As you know, tolls never go away. Why should all the tolls collected here be sent to other parts of Florida, when the funds are needed for our own section of I-75? 

We are a donor county as it is, so when our roads are over-capacity, we should be able to use the toll dollars generated to fulfill our own needs. Yes, the state would love for us to toll ourselves and make it easy for them, but we give plenty as it is. It's time we received a little in return.

I find it interesting that the toll authority is spending a few hundred-thousand dollars to hire a public relations firm to show the benefits of tolling and why it should be approved. It makes you wonder, eh? And after the new roads are paid for, what will the dollars then be directed toward?  Maybe the new Heartland Expressway down the middle of the state? Possibly a high speed rail system?  I'd just really like to know what's being talked about in the back rooms of this initiative.