ATLANTA – GOP gubernatorial hopeful Nathan Deal said he disagrees with last week’s decision to extend tolls on Ga. Highway 400 for another decade.
“Ga. 400 commuters are also taxpayers like all other drivers in our state, and I don’t think it’s fair to continue to single them out for this daily fee,” Deal, a Republican, said in a statement. “It’s certainly true that this corridor has undergone explosive growth in the past 20 years, but so have many other corridors in the metro Atlanta area.
“In these tight budget times, we must consider all options for improving mobility in metro Atlanta and throughout the rest of the state,” Deal added. “Tolls will play a role in how we fund needed expansions in highway capacity. Georgians will only support that option if we keep our promises. The state said it would end the tolls when the bonds were paid. I said this summer that the tolls should end when the bonds are paid off next year, and I believe that would have been the best path to take.”
Deal also suggested his primary opponent, former Gov. Roy Barnes, a Democrat, add two communities affected by the decision – North Fulton and Forsyth County – to the “2010 Apology Tour.”
Deal, Barnes and Libertarian John Monds are vying to replace Gov. Sonny Perdue, who cannot run because of term limits.