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Ferry toll increases delayed another year
Gov. Bev Perdue on Tuesday signed into law a bill that will delay for another year the addition and increases of tolls on most NCDOT Ferry Division routes.
Last month, the Republican-controlled Legislature passed the adjusted budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year that began July 1. It included provisions requiring the Ferry Division to increase fares on the Ocracoke-Cedar Island, Ocracoke-Swan Quarter and the Cape Fear River routes, and start charging tolls on the Pamlico River route.
The new budget went into law after the General Assembly approved an override of Perdue’s veto, and also included an exemption until July 2013 for the route on the Neuse River, while keeping the Hatteras Inlet and Currituck Sound runs toll-free.
Approved by lawmakers on July 3, this new law is a modification of a number of provisions included in the 2012-2013 state spending plan.
In the previous budget approved in the summer of 2011, tolls were to be implemented or increased on all routes except the Hatteras-Ocracoke and Currituck-Knotts Island ferries this past spring.
Governor Perdue issued an executive order in February that put a moratorium on the tolls plan until April 2013.
General Assembly leaders questioned the constitutionality of the order, and asked for a ruling by state Attorney General Roy Cooper.
Cooper’s office said the order should be ignored, but Perdue stood her ground and called on lawmakers to pass legislation to either overturn her order or change the ferry toll plan.
During the recently completed “short session”, the proposed FY 2013 budget once again included the tolls, while amendments were proposed by Sen. Stan White (D-Dare) to keep the fares out, but were voted down.
Rep. Tim Spear (D-Washington) also proposed two separate bills that would exempt the ferries from tolls, but those bills failed to win final approval.
The modification signed into law this week by Perdue orders the NCDOT Ferry Division not to collect increased ferry tolls until July 1, 2013.
The FY 2012-13 budget estimated the tolls would make up $4.5 million of the $43,538,132 allocation for Ferry Division operations.
The new law transfers to the Ferry Division a total of $4 million in “gap funds” originally set aside to pay for planning of the proposed mid-Currituck bridge between Corolla and the mainland, and the Garden Parkway in the Charlotte area.
Another $500,000 was pulled from the state’s general maintenance reserve fund.
The bill was given final approval by the state House on an 82-28 vote, with Rep. Spear and Rep. Bill Owens (D-Pasquotank) voting “yes”.
The Senate also voted in favor 34-2, including a “yes” vote from Sen. White.
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ekim says:
The Dems think ITS all FREE!
TPahl says:
@ ekim, it’s not a dem/repub issue, i’s a fairness issue. The ferry division is a part of the Department of Transportation, which is funded by the state gas tax. That tax pays for roads, bridges, maintenance, snow plowing, paving, signage …you know, transportation, including the ferries. Nobody who pays the gas tax thinks Department of Transportation expenditures are free. Tell me why Representative Iller, who chairs the House Transportation Committee and lives on Oak Island should be able to travel for free across either of two bridges when he goes home at night, but Ocracokers should pay a toll to ride a ferry.
But since you brought up the partisan issue…there is only one difference: Democrats tax and spend, Republicans borrow and spend. What’s more responsible?
ekim says:
@ TPahl yo T all the bridges leading to the OBX should have TOLL BOOTHS on them, We wouldnt have to pay a dime in TAXES! Iam so sick of you LIBERALS crying its only FAIR, GROW UP! Nothing worth anything is free & LIFE AINT FAIR!!GET OVER IT!!
obxdad says:
ekim – “wouldn’t have to pay a dime in taxes”?
Now who wants free stuff?
Republicans are the freeloaders… they want a huge defense budget, but won’t pay taxes to fund it!
Borrow, borrow, spend, spend, that’s all the GOP is good for.
Pay your taxes like a responsible citizen! The only people guilty of trying to get free stuff is those who don’t want to fund our schools, roads, and public workers.
Sue says:
Wow. The 4.5 million toll estimate is a dent in the entire ferry division budget. Wonder how much of that small amount would really be offset by folks (tourists) no longer riding the ferries? Or would it really make that much difference if they collected it all?
I’ll bet they easily waste 4.5 million a year and would waste even more with tolls. Most government run organizations would. Nope. All in all, tolling Hatteras ferries does not sound like a good idea, financially speaking, especially for the small business owners on Ocracoke. It would seem finances need to be kept in the hands of workers who are struggling.
ekim says:
Obx Dad I pay more in TAXES in one year then you make! There aint a thing wrong with our schools or roads, Your president has up the war in AFGHANASTAN! SO please tell us how much we need to pay in TAXES, so that you can be a stay @ home dad!
obxdad says:
I’d put my balance sheet up against yours anytime ekim. My best year, my wife and I paid $250,000 to the treasury.
I’m staying at home now to support my wife’s career and raise my kid right. I still pay over $10,000 in property taxes alone.
You like apples? How you like DEM apples!
ekim says:
Like I said STAY @ home DAD , MAKE SURE the HAMBURGER HELPER is READY What you say Is B.S. Go do the LAUNDRY!!!! This is what AMERICA has come to… PLEASE!!!
obxdad says:
I’ll bet I’m a LOT more secure in my manhood than you ekim! It takes a REAL MAN to do what’s right for his family, and that’s exactly what I’m doing.
If you had a workaholic wife who couldn’t cook, I’m sure you’d make her sit at home and go crazy while you go hang out with your buddies.
Looks like your balance sheet doesn’t quite measure up to mine, in more ways than one!
I’ll be back designing and building specs for my wife to sell as soon as my son is in school, and then we’ll really be paying some taxes again! I can’t wait to beat the $250K we paid in 2005. We could support one of these ferries all by ourselves.
How much good are you doing the community ekim? You appear to have enough time to search out my comments at the end of an outdated article… so get back to work you lazy bum! Pay some taxes like a real man! Or are you just a freeloader like the rest of the Red State crowd?
Well, it’s been nice talking… but it’s time for me to go check on one of our SIX houses… two of which are paid for… how many homes do you own ekim? Even one?