Now, if you did drive in Austin more, and specifically avoided the toll roads, then I could agree that you would have a valid complaint about how your gas taxes are spent. But once you accept the premise that your gas taxes will be spent on roads you do not use, I don’t see how it matters (to you) whether those roads are tolled or not.

In principle, I am not opposed to toll roads of a “bypass” nature, but I do agree that they should not be funded via other tax revenue — or perhaps it is OK to build them from tax revenue but the toll revenue should then pay back the tax expense.

Second, please refrain from calling me an idiot if you want to have even a slightly higher-than-juvenile debate. Last I checked, name-calling isn’t high on the ‘I really have a good point to make’ list of good tactics for convincing others.

I think you should look up the word ’scam’. I’m getting a completely elective new service, that is worth what I’m paying. I can choose not to participate. As far as I know, the roads are new, but I clearly haven’t done as much research as you have.

Toll 45 seems brand new to me and means I don’t have to sit and wait on 620.

Toll 183A seems brand new to me and means I don’t have to go through the 20 stoplights on 183 from 620 to 2243 in Leander.

Toll 1 seems brand new to me and means I don’t have to sit and wait between Parmer and I-35.

If I’m too cheap or emotional or politically outraged to take the toll roads, the roads I *do* take have less people than they would have otherwise.

Now, without spouting negative adjectives, can you help me understand, with facts, what I’m missing.

Good examples: (blahblah road is not new) or (we lost $x gov’t funding and put it in this other place and goes into X person’s pockets) or (I have this here memo showing how Perry said let’s scam Texans)

Bad examples: (Perry is crap) or (you are an idiot) or (everyone knows it’s a scam) or (only a complete moron believes X) or (are you so stupid that you can’t see X)