[StBernard] Governor's statement on tolling I-10 and I-12

[Westley Annis]

Governor's statement on tolling I-10 and I-12


"I want to assure the people of Louisiana that my administration has no plans to establish a toll on Interstates 10 and 12. The misinformation regarding my support of a toll road is false and misleading to our citizens. I no more want tolls than I want another hurricane. 

"The Louisiana Legislature instructed DOTD Secretary Johnny Bradberry to pursue ALL options regarding transportation opportunities. Like any good business person, Secretary Bradberry and his staff are doing just that-exploring the options. Whether they are popular or unpopular, we owe it to ourselves to explore every angle. The toll idea is one of many ideas Secretary Bradberry and his staff are compiling for consideration, but it's dead on arrival. 

"Furthermore, if a toll was given serious consideration, it would have to be brought to and voted on by the legislature. At this point, my secretary was simply doing the necessary research on this and other possibilities."

"The secretary informed the members of the Congressional Delegation, including Senator Vitter, last spring of the various options being explored and received no opposition until Thursday."

"Senator Vitter, however, is on record voting for tolls when he voted for the federal transportation bill. And perhaps what the junior senator wants us to forget is that he voted to add no loan forgiveness provisions for our cities and parishes after the largest natural disasters in American history. This means that crippled cities and parishes that were forced to make federal loans to survive the storms' affects cannot even ask for forgiveness. This has never been done to any state suffering a disaster and Senator David Vitter himself offered this harmful language. I want him to explain that and get that matter straightened out. 

"The junior Senator knows my phone number and can call me at any time to discuss this matter further." 

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The Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation Louisiana's Fund for Louisiana's People www.louisianahelp.org