State government is actively pursuing tolls to fund transportation projects.  The new Tacoma Narrows bridge is funded almost completely with tolls, while variable electronic tolls are now being used on a lane of SR 167.  Tolls are planned as a major revenue source for replacement of the SR 520 floating bridge.  And $400 million in toll-financed bonds are planned for the SR 99 tunnel to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct, with up to $6 tolls each way.

Tolls have proven very effective at reducing traffic congestion in world cities like Stockholm and London.  Variable electronic tolls have also dramatically improved traffic flow on highways in California, Florida, and New Jersey.  Tolls are inherently more fair, substituting a user fee for general taxes.  And tolls also provide a strong financial incentive to carpool and use transit.

I support tolling on economic, environmental, and fairness grounds, but I do not support all tolls.  We cannot ask taxpayers to foot the bulk of the bill on major transportation projects and then double dip with expensive tolls.  Nor should we toll without using some of the proceeds to provide transit alternatives.

For this reason, I support plans to toll SR 520, and would work on the city council to make sure the state follows through on promises of expanded cross-lake transit service.

And I oppose the plan to toll the SR 99 tunnel — I can’t reconcile the biggest tax increase in city history with the most expensive toll in state history.  This problem is further compounded by none of the toll revenue going toward transit service.

SYSTEM TOLLING

I think we should consider regional “system” tolling instead of the property, sales, car tab, and gas taxes we currently use to finance transportation.  As with facility tolling, this can’t be pursued in addition to taxes — it’s an either/or proposition.  And transit funding must also be part of the equation.

If implemented on a revenue-neutral basis, variable electronic tolls could dramatically improve traffic flow without increasing the cost to city residents.  I think this is an approach that warrants further study as a way to eliminate existing taxes.

A NOTE ON MY OPPONENT

Robert Rosencrantz has recently misrepresented my position on tolls.  He has gone so far as to selectively splice together video footage as “evidence” that I want to toll every city street — which is categorically false.  Worse, Rosencrantz knows this isn’t true, and ironically is the candidate in this race that supports the highest tolls.

Rosencrantz supports the most expensive viaduct replacement plan — the deep-bore tunnel — including tolls of up to $6.  I oppose the tunnel and this tolling plan.

A resident of Montlake, Rosencrantz supports the most expensive option for SR 520: “Option K”, which includes a tunnel under the Montlake cut.  This option requires the highest tolls and does not include light rail.  I will not support tolls at this level unless the plan includes light rail across the new 520 bridge.