By PHIL KABLER
Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State Parkways Authority members unanimously approved a resolution Thursday calling for tolls to remain on the West Virginia Turnpike after the current round of bonds are paid off in 2019, contending that removing the tolls is not in the best interest of the state or its citizens.
“The way it is right now, projecting a $400 million deficit for the state, it’s going to be a very difficult thing to shoulder,” Parkways general manager Greg Barr said of removing the tolls, which provide about $90 million a year in revenue, primarily from out-of-state travelers.
“No other states are taking tolls off their main highways,” he said.
Under current law, Turnpike tolls are to end when the 30-year bonds are paid off in May 2019, and operations and maintenance of the 88-mile interstate are to shift to the Division of Highways.
Delegate Marty Gearheart, R-Mercer, a longtime opponent of Turnpike tolls, told Parkways members Thursday he intends to push to make sure that happens.
Gearheart said he believes if the state continues the tolls after 2019, it will be breaking a promise to citizens.
“I consider it important for government to do things it promises to do,” Gearheart said.
His comments prompted a lengthy exchange with Parkways member Bill Seaver, a leading advocate of maintaining tolls — with Seaver participating via teleconference on speakerphone.
Citing the budget deficit and more than $1 billion of unmet state highway construction and maintenance needs, Seaver said to Gearheart, “Now you’re talking about taking an $85 [million] — $90 million stream of revenue away from the state. How can you in good conscience continue to do that?”
Gearheart said he is optimistic that growth in the state economy will provide enough new tax revenue to offset the lost toll revenue.
“You’re ignoring everything that’s going on in the United States with the tolling of roads,” Seaver told Gearheart. “It’s like it’s non-existent to you.”
Seaver added, “Plus, our employees get another Christmas to wonder about their futures and their jobs.”
Turnpike tolls fund salaries for some 360 full- and part-time employees.
The six-page resolution will be sent to Gov.-elect Jim Justice’s transition team.
On Thursday, Seaver indicated he does not believe Justice will go along with Gearheart’s efforts to allow the tolls to expire.
“Thank goodness we’ve got a governor I don’t think will ever go along with this,” Seaver told Gearheart.
Barr said he would like to have the issue resolved sooner rather than later, although he noted that the last time tolls were set to expire, in December 1989, the Legislature did not approve legislation to set up issuance of new Turnpike bonds until that spring.
In order to keep the tolls after 2019, the Legislature would either have to amend the current law, or approve a new round of highway construction and maintenance bonds, to be paid off with ongoing revenue from Turnpike tolls.
“At the very least, just keeping the tolls would take that additional burden away from the state and the Division of Highways,” Barr said.
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