So what do you think about the toll dilemma? Volusia Commissioners are revisiting this again. Some think that dropping the tolls will bring more people to the beach. News Journal has both sides of the issue in yesterday's edition. I see both sides, I guess. I am not sure that $5.00 is prohibiting anyone from visiting our beaches for the day. A gallon of gas is over $4.00 so paying 5.00 to get on the beach does not seem like much to me. If you are a county resident you can pay $20.00 for the year. This is perfectly reasonable. I drive on the beach 4 or more times a week, I think $20.00 is a great deal for the privilege.
According to the article: Volusia expects to collect about $2 million from the beach tolls this year, a fraction of the $12 million the county plans to spend to manage the beach.
Republic Parking will get nearly $800,000 this year to collect the beach tolls. The county also budgeted $400,000 for capital improvements. That means the county will net about $855,000 of the $2 million in beach tolls.
Republic Parking will get nearly $800,000 this year to collect the beach tolls. The county also budgeted $400,000 for capital improvements. That means the county will net about $855,000 of the $2 million in beach tolls.
I think 855K is a pretty big number to give up. Although it is a drop in the 12 million dollar bucket that is costs to maintain the beach. It is still going to be expensive to maintain the beach, no matter how you look at it or how many tolls you charge. Anyone can visit the beach, we just pay to drive on it. I think that is fair.
3 comments:
I drove up there from Clermont and had no problem with paying $5 to get on the beach. Never thought twice about it. I pay that to park at Cocoa Beach, and still have to walk 150 yards to get to the beach itself.
Our beaches have lots of people on them every day, I don't think anyone cares one bit about the toll. I say leave it.
Keep the tolls. All anyone in the government does is whine about money, so they want to cut tolls, does that make sense.
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