Lost in all the hubbub of the wetlands decisions made last week, Ken Hagan actually came up with an idea. How about that! After five years of just sitting there on the Board of County Commissioners, Hagan finally had a unique thought.
He believes Pasco County residents should pay a toll to drive into Hillsborough County. Hey – I said he had an idea, I didn’t say it was a good one.
After initially laughing at his plan, the rest of the BOCC decided to check into putting a toll plaza up at the county line on Bruce B. Downs Blvd.
He wants a toll plaza on a regular old pothole-filled road. Spending any more time on this ridiculous idea is nothing but a waste of your tax money.
Brett
2 years ago
As a Wesley Chapel resident, let me be the first to say that I’d rather get whacked repeatedly in the teeth with a golf club than drive down Bruce B. Downs at ANY time of day, much less rush hour. Instead of wasting our time with this idiotic pissing match (which would be less of a problem if both counties actually spent some time, oh, I don’t know, actually planning their communities?), how about adding more routes? New Tampans have been resistant to this idea for years, fearing it would encourage more development.
Don’t laugh – I’ve had that actual conversation with more than one person up there.
It’s time for everybody to grow up – but Tampa Bay’s civic planning is pretty much in shambles, and since getting Hillsborough to play ball with any other county on these issues (see: Transportation, Mass) is futile, I really don’t have any hope for the near future. Oh well, at least I can still rely S.R. 52 for the next few years (six miles out of my way, and it’s STILL faster than S.R 54: http://baynews9.com/content/36/2007/8/19/281337.html)
tim
2 years ago
Seriously, how do these idiots get elected?
voxy
2 years ago
CHECKPOINTS !!! It’s merely to discourage travel. What an ASS. Then what you have to stop and PROVE you are from hillsborough?? Yep, CHECKPOINT !!
RECALL THEM.
Why is everyone HAPPY with being given two ‘choices’ (LOL!!!!) neither of which were … anything to do with what the citizens want.
You konw??
THE BOSSES !!!!!
This is Tampa but it looks like BOSS-HOG-VILLE.
And you’re just letting it go by. Which is why people who would choose to stand up for themselves say … to hell with it.
There are stronger people in other parts of the country that would NEVER allow this stuff to go on to citizens, wetlands, roads, public access tv, interstates …. you name it.
Oh, and htis is not hagan’s first thought. He also has the illustrious heritage of disallowing debra lafave from public areas within 250 ft or some such. A decision much mulled over by these sage minds.
Who’s next>>
Tommy sorry if htis duped — don’t know how that happened. Only hit it once and it came back duplicate.
james
2 years ago
For my friends in Hillsborogh I pray for you. It looks like Rose is the only commissioner with any sense.
Jim Johnson
2 years ago
And why, pray tell, is this a bad idea??
Pasco county drivers pay nothing for the roads, yet want some of the benefit of being able to drive on them. Bruce B Downs is a county road – as opposed to Dale Mabry or US 41 which are state roads, funded by the DOT.
There should be some mechanism to allow Hillsborough County taxpayers to get paid for what they provide.
voxy
2 years ago
okay, NO ONE should have to explain that to you, Jim.
OMG.
Has the entire world besides a gross of us gone utterly stark raving mad???
Never mind.
And, I guess if I don’t contribute to a private road being built (which I object to but last I checked no one gives a damn what I object to LOL) that if I need to rush someone to the hospital I won’t be allowed on that road???
This is just selfish, small-minded and ridiculous.
I wait for the day that hagan buys the farm like lunsford did.
Jeff
2 years ago
Jim,
I can only hope you are joking.
Mr. Bill
2 years ago
Really should come down to County Passports. The problems of illegal immigration are already severe, so why not localize it. If someone from Pasco wants to visit Hillsborough, make them get a County Passport. Think of the new bureaucracy we can created. Check points at every entry way. Fees to obtain Passports. AND OF COURSE, Hillsborough Residents would have to have one to leave the county too. More fees. Might as well make it so you have to be a Hillsborough resident to work a Hillsborough job,too. Let’s protect our jobs ! Maybe I should run for County Commission ?
voxy
2 years ago
Oh hell YEAH !!!!
tommy
2 years ago
Jim, there is some validity to the argument that Pasconians are using Hillsborough roads without paying for them. But a toll booth at the county line is not the answer.
Perhaps this should have been considered before the sprawl got as far as the county line?
WP
2 years ago
In-county employers pay property taxes, sales and gasoline taxes are collected on purchases in the county where I’d bet many of these commuters spend their dollars. If we want to be “fair” let’s not spend another dime to improve BBD and other county-maintained roads as they enter the county and perhaps the traffic will inhibit further irresponsible sprawl. Perhaps even break out the bulldozers and tear up the asphalt at the county line for a few feet
voxy
2 years ago
LOL !! Didn’t pasco try that some years back??? LOL !!!
This whole thing is ridiculous to discuss more ridiculous and ken hagan is the most ridiculous.
That said (LOL) I’ll just mention that coming down Dale Mabry yesterday next to me for some time (but untaped because I was laughing too hard) was a huge semi …
What was all over the side??
RECALL RECALL RECALL>
Dang if they can’t get a truck plastered up any old way and send it by. Now, I am QUITE sure I’ve never seen a truck like that before.
They’re scared of us. As they should be. OR they wouldn’t be going to so much trouble to shut us up.
Government is MEANT to be afraid of people not people afraid of the government !
You can’t just ignore them because they are idiots. I tried that.
All the ignoring in the world and that man is still in my white house.
(oh, and most things ARE his fault) Clinton was what he was but that was walking on sunshine days and nights. We’ll be years straightening out these seven years (feels like five hundred years)
But, Tampa??
She will NEVER recover from this. You’re stuck with it, now. Short of a tornado ripping it all down this is what you’re stuck with. And, it’s ugly. And you know it.
Why don’t you care???
Lee Nelson
2 years ago
Anyone (looking at Jim
) —
Why does Hillsborough County only collect taxes on the first $5,000 when you purchase a car? The state takes its 6% for the entire purchase price.
I understand this is only $150 – $300 or so per sale depending on the type of car you buy; but there is probably what, 50,000 car sales per year in the county? Maybe more? If we assume the tax collected is only $150 — that’s 7.5 million dollars.
I don’t understand the justification for this tax paradigm — you usually finance the taxes anyways!
Anonymous
2 years ago
The solution isn’t to try to capitalize off commuters, it’s to lobby the state for a new designation for Bruce B. Downs under thsi logic.
New Tampa goes across the county line — that’s a problem caused by HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY and the city of Tampa. Trying to pass the buck is a foolhardy, if not enormously ignorant way to go about things.
Hillsborough likes to keep to itself and yet Hillsborough is at the center of the greater Tampa Bay Metro region. To take a childish position that is Ken Hagen’s idea is idiocy to begin with. Trying to JUSTIFY it, Jim, is almost as foolish.
Jeff
2 years ago
Jim… If you’re truly serious, then prepare for the tables to be turned in a big way come the Fall and again maybe in the Spring or Summer. TWO malls will be opening up North of the Border as it were. And I’m sure the New Tampans will never stray northward and instead trek west to Citrus Park, south to University, or even Brandon.
And lest we forget that many of us Pasconians (I love it Tom-o) work in Hillsborough or Pinellas and funnel quite a bit of revenue and taxes into each.
voxy
2 years ago
LEE NELSON !!!!
EXCELLENT QUESTION.
I’M SHOUTING !!!!!
EXCELLENT QUESTION !!!