FOX 4 WFTX - Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples News, WeatherLeasing Alligator Alley to a Private Company?
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Complaints they're going too fast on interstate 75, but it has nothing to do with speeding. It's the proposed lease of Alligator Alley. Supporters say it's privatization. Critics say it's a sell-off.
Opposition to The Alligator Alley lease proposal is growing. Just this last week, The Naples City Council passed a resolution against it. The vote was unanimous.
This week, The Marco Island Council plans to discuss whether they want to weigh in on the issue. So what does this mean for you? You may be paying more for Florida tolls.
"We've got an aspiring vice presidential governor and he wants to make sure that budget looks great, and the quickest way he can do that is to get an infusion of a billion dollars or so from an outside foreign company. I don't think he cares who pays the bill, he just wants it to look good," said Gary Eidson, Chair of The Citizens' Transportation Coalition.
Eidson says this project won't benefit you at all, and that's exactly why Governor Crist is trying to get it done so quickly.
"It really needs to be slowed down and stopped, if this gets done here, there is a very strong likelihood that you will not be able to drive on an interstate highway in Florida without paying a toll. That toll money will likely be going to a foreign investor, that is not the way we should be running America," said Eidson.
When you pay the tolls to use Alligator Alley, all of that money goes to the state, but if the state leases the highway to a private company, that company will then make all the money. They will have total control, and can even raise the toll rates if they want to. They can make you pay double, even triple what you pay right now.
Bill Willkomm is a Naples City Councilman. Besides voting against the lease proposal last week, Fox 4 wants to know what he's doing about it.
"Talk to as many people as possible, talk to you today because I know you're going to reach more people in one broadcast than I could reach in a month. Hopefully people will listen to what I and other people have to say and get up in arms and contact elected representatives and say enough is enough, stop stealing from me, get your hands out of my pockets," said Councilman Wilkomm.
