Orlando FL area mayors want to take control of local toller from state

The Orange county council of mayors want the governance of the Orlando Orange County (Toll) Expressway Authority (OOCEA) to be changed to provide them with a majority on the governing board, the Orlando Sentinel reports. OOCEA like other ostensibly regional toll authorities in Tampa and Miami is a creature of state legislation which in its case provides for a five person board, four of whom are appointed by the state governor.

Only one board member, currently the Orange county Mayor and toll authority chairman Rich Crotty is a locally elected official.

The local mayors in Orange County represent the cities of Orlando, Winter Park, Edgewood, Maitland, Oakland, Ocoee and Belle Isle. They are pressing regional legislators to sponsor a bill which would create a new seven person board to control the toll authority. This would consist of two gubernatorial appointees, the district chief of FDOT and four mayors. Orlando and Orange County mayors would have permanent positions, while the other two positions would rotate among the smaller cities.

The move comes after a couple of years of scandal publicity for the authority involving secret payments to an anti-toll activist, the use of the authority for political fundraising, and criminal inquiries (which fizzled) plus an audit critical of lack of competitive bidding.

Orlando has the most extensive network of tollroads relative to free roads in the US. Five out of six of the area's expressways are tolled, the only untolled one being I-4.

Other Florida tollers

Maimi Dade Expressway Authority board of directors has thirteen members, a majority (seven) of whom are appointed by Dade County Commission. Five are appointed by the governor and the other is the district head of FDOT.

Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority like Orlando has a majority of governor appointees - four of the seven person board. In addition there is the district chief of FDOT and a nominee of the City of Tampa and of the county of Hillsborough.

Lee County has its own toll authority, and the most beautiful logo (top left).

TOLLROADSnews 2008-01-29