Bridge Addition for US HWY 331

[Lake View Too]

I cannot believe that, all of the sudden, there is this looming deadline that the state will take away its $175 M dollars, if we do not come up with $75M dollars. It seems like blackmail to me. Why in the world are we paying incredible sums of money, including BP money, for advertising, when studies have shown that 90% of the tourists visiting our beaches are return customers! The TDC needs to gets it's head out of the "clouds" and put forth a great deal of the money it seems to love to squander on advertisement into infrastructure. If you build it, they will come.

 

[Bob Hudson]

WCTA Issues Position On 331 Bridge Issue

View attachment 26395

Taxpayer Group To Commissioners “No Tax and No Toll”

Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, 1/24/2012 - The Walton County Taxpayers Board of Directors has carefully considered the funding proposal for the 331 Bridge Project that is being submitted to the County Commissioners. The WCTA cannot support either option- raising the sales tax or implementing a toll on the bridge.

The case has not been adequately made that the proposed burden to be placed on local taxpayers is offset by the value gained by the bridge, especially since our neighbors in Bay County have recently had a new state highway bridge fully funded by the State of Florida with no such request of those neighbors.

However,WCTA wholeheartedly supports the County Commissioners working at the State level on behalf of the local taxpayer. WCTA supports exhaustive efforts being made to ensure that the State is investing FULLY in the needs of Walton County.

WCTA represents 2789 property owners in Walton County and WCTA will actively educate its members and the voters of Walton County on this issue.

To reiterate, as it relates to The Bridge proposal, the WCTA position is clear "No Tax and No Toll".

 

[Jdarg]

Bob, what did Bay County do differently to receive their funding? Are the commissioners not being as effective at the state level?

 

[rocketman]

Thank You!

For the record, I wholeheartedly agree with you. Why do the folks to our East receive infrastructure improvements without tolls/sales tax increases? Anyyywaaaaayyy, keep up the good work!

Rock on,
Rocketman

 

[Bob Hudson]

In my opinion that is true. It also has something to do with who our state representatives are and their relative stature in the grand scheme of things in Tally.

The TPO is dominated by reps from Okaloosa and Bay Counties and many times our reps have not even attend as funds were diverted from Walton County to Okaloosa and Bay.

It has also not helped as the Road Trust fund has been raided by the legislature as of late to the tune of 3.8 billion dollars in order to "balance the budget".

In order to not be tossed I will skip any discussion of our Walton County elected officials (past and present) and their effectiveness in impressing on the legislature the need for the bridge.

 

[Jdarg]

Bdarg was speculating that St. Joe had some sway with the Bay County bridge and good for the airport? And also that our districts are somewhat "striped" in that the districts basically cut through Walton Co.- the reps are from either side of us but not a one is from here?

 

[rocketman]

A Change

Perhaps, we need to entertain a change in local representation in Tally. Today, we received a recorded message from our representative regarding the presidential primary. My thoughts are that he/she needs to embrace the local issues more.
Rock on,
Rocketman

 

[Bob Hudson]

Bdarg was speculating that St. Joe had some sway with the Bay County bridge and good for the airport? And also that our districts are somewhat "striped" in that the districts basically cut through Walton Co.- the reps are from either side of us but not a one is from here?

Well Rep Drake is a Walton County resident and is on the Transportation Committee. Rep Coley is also our (southern portion of Walton County) repesentative but her district (she lives in Matianna) is one of the strangest House districts in Florida.

They should have named the new airport St Joe Airport.

How effectively they represent Walton County I will leave to your evaluation and analysis.

 

[Jdarg]

Well Rep Drake is a Walton County resident and is on the Transportation Committee. Rep Coley is also our (southern portion of Walton County) but her district (she lives in Matianna) is one of the strangest House districts.

They should have named the new airport St Joe Airport.

How effectively they represent Walton County I will leave to your evaluation and analysis.

Oh nobody gives a fig about my analysis. And thanks- I guess I could have looked up those facts but I figured you would just know.;-)

 

[Bob Wells]

2 or 3 years ago Dave Murzin from Pensacola had told me about a Walton County contingent who was trying to get a bridge and asked the group I was with what our views were on a toll bridge. This is something that has been in the works at least since then. I support the tax over the toll.