Slots for a toll-free ICC? Brilliant!
The Maryland Transportation Authority has taken appropriate action on the toll structure for the Intercounty Connector, but some of our friends down in Montgomery County are still whining that they want the governor of the General Assembly to intervene so users of the ICC doen't have to pay as much.
Never mind that such an intervention would trash the authority's bond rating and increase the state's cost of borrowing. It's all about Montgomery.
One of the more amusing suggestions for transferring the costs of the ICC from its users to resiidents of Baltimore and other parts of the state comes from long-ago delegate, notorious loudmouth and perennial political wannabe Robin Ficker. On the Maryland Politics Watch blog, he writes: "There is no reason why we can't use a penny of the sales tax and some of the slots money to pay for a toll-free ICC."
Fascinating. So Ficker wants to transfer money from the sales tax -- which is paid by people all over the state to fund education, health, transportation and other vital programs -- to make the ICC less costly for its affluent customer base. Then he wants to tap slots revenue -- all generated at casinos in other people's backyards -- to get it all the way to FREE.
It seems to me that if historically slots-averse Montgomery wants to tap slots revenue to subsidize its $2.6 billion Highway to Heaven, it ought to at least welcome a mega-casino somewhere around the western end of the ICC -- maybe Rockville or Gaithersburg. And how about a discrete, elegant little slots parlor for the convenience of those folks in exclusive Potomac?
I wouldn't take this woe-is-me prattle from Montgomery too seriously, but as long as ideas like that are bouncing around the county, Baltimore residents should keep a wary eye on developments to the southwest.
Comments
Cut out the middle man and instead of toll booths install lottery ticket dispensers. $5 to drive the ICC and a "chance" to get a $50,000 pay out.
Posted by: MrRational | December 23, 2009 2:46 PM
Ficker has had a lot of free time on his hands since Abe Pollin revoked his courtside seats behind the opposing team's bench at Wizards games.
Posted by: MCG | December 24, 2009 8:13 AM
Personally, I'd toll all limited-access highways in the state, under the MdTA, and use the proceeds to improve and maintain the highways. Why should only Montgomery County be miserable? If you, Mr. Dresser, so desire to cram people onto buses and trains, this is one way to do it!
Posted by: mpetrie98 | December 24, 2009 3:17 PM
I guess it is safe to assume that rich Montgomery County has never ever paid for projects in other parts of Maryland. I guess it is also safe to assume that Baltimore will not benefit one cent because of the ICC - there is no way the ICC will make it easier for Montogomery residents to get to Baltimore, Columbia, and Annapolis where they will take jobs and spend their money - no way! Sure glad the author wasn't around during the time of the Alaska and Louisiana purchases - the US would be stuck on 13 states.
Posted by: Montgomery Resident | December 24, 2009 3:51 PM
I was under the impression that (most) of the officials and citizens of Montgomery County were long over the idea that it would be a toll road, but rather are upset at the proposed fee schedule. I thought I remember them saying the tolls would be around 17 cents a mile when the green light was given to the road. Now we're at 30-35 cents, thats a big increase. What I would like to know is why the increase in only a couple of years? I have tried to contact them directly with this and their answer to me was at that price they think the road will remain congestion free... I think they are correct in that assumption, but I think at 20 cents it would still not grind to a hault, and would likely attract more users who will pay. I as a Baltimore area resident am slightly outraged at the cost of the tolls, in particular the only slightly discounted 'off peak' rates.
Posted by: BB | December 28, 2009 12:47 PM
Some perspective… First, the ICC was planned for years, and could have been built a lot cheaper some time ago. Its greatest opposition came from people outside of Montgomery County - remember when Paris Glendenning tried to sell off the land that had already been purchased? I don’t understand why the people of Montgomery County must pay for the intervention of others. Second, the concept that the money stays where the casinos are is silly, ask people living in Nevada, New Jersey, and states that have the Mississippi River running through it. Finally, the logic that an idea is bad because it comes from Robin Ficker, and well, it's from Robin Ficker so it must be bad, is a juvenile argument and the author should know better.
Posted by: Good Golfer | January 4, 2010 5:00 PM