Concerned Citizens Addressing Critical Transportation Issues
POLL: Alley letters keep governor’s office busy
By Leslie Williams Nov. 6, 2008, Naples Daily News
NAPLES — Letter-writing is a lost art, some say.
Folks in the governor’s office might disagree.
With 4,000 letters and faxes received regarding the potential lease of Alligator Alley since June 1, Gov. Charlie Crist is finding that Floridians are still dedicated to communicating through the written word.
“They’ve been slammed, and they can’t sweep that under the rug,” said Gina Downs, director of the Citizens Transportation Coalition of Collier County. “That’s why we didn’t want to do a petition. We wanted to flood the governor’s fax machine.”
Downs helped orchestrate a mid-summer drive to fax thousands of letters of opposition to the governor’s office. She said she has sent roughly 3,800 faxes from her home machine on behalf of the signatories, and said she thinks the governor’s office estimate of 4,000 letters and faxes regarding Alligator Alley received since June is an “ungodly low” number.
That is in addition to more than 700 e-mails received from all over Florida from June through October opposing the lease, according to a records request by the Naples Daily News.
A previous records request, which looked at e-mails sent to the governor from January through June, found that the vast majority of e-mails were sent by Collier County residents.
However, the e-mails obtained most recently showed a big spike in communications from other areas, starting around August. Some are from as close as Fort Myers and others were sent from as far away as Sarasota, Deerfield Beach and Miami.
A count made by the Daily News found that more than 350 e-mails were sent through the newspaper’s Web site, naplesnews.com, which allows readers to e-mail the governor a personal message.
Opposition to the proposed 50- to 75-year lease of the 78-mile roadway was slower to gather on the east coast, where many local governments have now passed resolutions opposing the lease.
However, some Collier County residents don’t feel that the message is getting through.
“As far as I’m concerned, the state has dissed me,” said Mike Mogill.
He sent a series of e-mails to the governor’s office in September, and the responses he got left him feeling ignored. His first e-mail included a picture of a tea bag, part of a small campaign to stage a figurative Boston Tea Party to protest the lease proposal.
“I expected to get a form letter back, and expected something saying it was a form letter, ‘And by the way, cool tea bag,’” said Mogil.
When Mogil only received the form letter, he sent another e-mail with a subject line reading “Alligator Alley.” In the body of the e-mail, he wrote, “Just want to see if these are really read or automatically replied to.”
When he got the exact same form letter in response, he made one final try, sending an e-mail with nothing but nonsense in the body, but again, a subject line that read “Alligator Alley.”
Again, he received the same form letter.
“I think that’s a political faux pas,” said Mogil. “It basically says, ‘We don’t care what you, the public, care about. Thank you for writing to us; we’re going to do what we want to do.’”
Representatives in the governor’s Office of Citizen Services, who handle the letters and responses, say there are too many letters to answer every one individually.
“Typically, if there’s a mass letter writing campaign or e-mail campaign, the next step in the process for us in drafting our responses is working with our policy or budget office on the issue,” said Press Secretary Sterling Ivey. “If it’s a mass campaign, then the responses are going to be very similar.”
Downs said her group looks at that in two ways.
“One is good, because that means he’s being slammed with so many responses that he doesn’t have time to answer every one,” Downs said.
On the other hand, said Downs, it can be off-putting for people who care deeply about the issue and want to know that their views are being considered.
“I’ve had some people bring me the letters they’ve received, and they say, ‘Look at this piece of garbage,’” said Downs. “And I say, ‘Yeah, this looks familiar.’”
Some e-mail replies obtained through the public records request indicate a similar frustration with the standard replies.
“Your reply e-mail is not responsive,” wrote Jules Mazzarantani, a resident of Cooper City, near Fort Lauderdale, in August. “You told me nothing new about these events. More importantly, you have failed to ACKNOWLEDGE or have CHOSEN to ignore the content and message of my prior e-mail which was to tell the governor that I oppose the leasing of Alligator Alley to private enterprise and possibly foreign entities and instead support a bond issue as explained in my prior e-mail.”
When, in response to that e-mail, Mazzarantani received an identical letter from the governor’s office, he wrote one final message, in all caps: “This proves you don’t really read or respond to the issues raised in the e-mails.”
Ivey called it “unfortunate” that responses are going out to letters that fail to ask a question or make a statement, like Mogil’s letter filled with nonsensical words and Mazzarantani’s irate reply. But he insists there is a place for public input within the lease process.
“We do read e-mails, we do read letters,” Ivey said.
“Keep in mind the Alligator Alley issue is an issue that’s moving forward in discussion phases,” said Ivey. “Not even the final documents are signed off on yet. It’s in an exploratory phase where we’re discovering what the price tag may be and what the benefits may be. Citizen input may be included in the final discussions.”
However, the Office of Citizen Services was not able to provide a breakdown of how many letters expressed support of, or alternately, opposition to the Alley lease proposal. Ivey said those numbers could be determined when the time comes, but some Southwest Floridians say they are feeling left out of the process altogether.
“We have received nothing from the governor,” said Irene Francoeur, a Naples resident and a member of the Citizens Transportation Coalition. “I’ve talked to hundreds and hundreds of people and we haven’t received anything.”
Francoeur said she and fellow activists want to hear where the governor stands on the issue. The argument that the state is merely exploring the option is not enough, said Francoeur.
“Why — why is he doing this?” she asked. “We have a road that pays for itself. I just think it’s a sellout.”
Like many people opposed to the lease, Mogil is at his wit’s end, but he said he wants to give the governor one last try.
“If I don’t get a response, he’s toast in the next election,” said Mogil. “I don’t care who’s running. He’s toast.”
A public meeting on the Alligator Alley lease is slated for Nov. 12 at the Golden Gate Community Center, 4701 Golden Gate Parkway, starting at 6 p.m. A formal public hearing on anticipated toll increases is scheduled to begin at 7. Collier County The Florida Department of Transportation, FDOT may soon increase tolls on the alley by 50%. That means 4 wheel vehicles pay $2.50 now, and will pay $3.75 if FDOT raises rates. Eighteen wheeler truck drivers pay $10 now, they will pay $15 at the toll. Gina Downs is with The Citizens Transportation Coalition, CTC, a group that aims to protect South Florida's roadways. Downs has been working to stop the leasing of Alligator Alley to a private company -- but says this rate increase is a smoke screen for the future leasing. She says the private company won't have to raise rates as high later, because FDOT is doing it now. "It's too easy for the government to raise money this way, and it's a public asset, we paid for it. It boggles my mind that this could even be legal in the state charter, the state amendments," said Downs. If you have an opinion on this and want to be heard, you can go to the meeting on Wednesday evening at The Golden Gate Community Center from 6-7. Posted By: Tyisha Fernandes tfernandes@fox4now.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ According to the FAQ page Alligator-Alley.com July 2008: Q: How would the money be spent? A: Existing statutory authority authorizes … (1) reimburse outstanding contractual obligations (2) operate and maintain the facility (3) contribute to the Everglades Fund of the South Florida Water Management District (4) accelerate construction of much-needed transportation projects in Broward and Collier counties. Q: Would that money have to stay in South Florida? A: Yes, under current law. ________________________________________________________________ And yet: What does the Governor say about the revenue???? (A few samples) "It really depends on what the numbers are. I'm trying to look for innovative ways to have additional revenue.” Miami Herald Sept 21, 2007 Gary Fineout __________________________________________________________________ Sun-Sentinel 11-2-07 Ask The Governor How will privatizing the roads help Floridians? “We won't do it unless it is good for the state. ….. see what kind of revenue it might be able to provide Florida for things like education and protecting our environment.” Addressing Jack Seiler, a member of the House Policy and Budget Council, Crist said. “I was asking you why you might not want us to lease Alligator Alley when we need more money for education. …” What’s This?? 1- The Gov is ‘looking for revenue’, 2- ‘wants $$for environment’, 3- ‘needs money for education’?? Ah yes, current statute is easily changed! But wait, the plot thickens: St. Petersburg Times By STEVE BOUSQUET, Tallahassee Bureau Chief 9-5-07 Crist open to possible sale of Florida Lottery ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Higher toll rates on Alligator Alley
For months, we've been following the state's proposed lease of Alligator Alley to a private company. Critics have argued that a private company will raise tolls, but that may even happen before the lease is approved.
This is a graph from a Citizens Transportation Coalition presentation.
It shows the toll increase on Alligator Alley from 2005 to present
Proposed increase is 50%, $3.75 for Cars and $15.00 for Tractor-trailers.
What follows below is assorted information passed along to
CTC Action Committee Members:
The question: How will the revenue from the sale of Alligator Alley be spent?
Sun-Sentinel.com March 2008 Linda Kleindienst __________________________________________________________________
This is a chart from a Citizens Transportation Coalition presentation.
It compares the reported sale price (in millions) per mile for The Alley
with sale price (in millions) per mile for several other contracts.
This is a FIRE SALE folks!!!
Tempers flair over Alley toll hike
By LESLIE WILLIAMS Naples Daily News November 19, 2008
If hearing is believing, these folks are going to need more convincing.
At a public hearing, Nov. 12, to air toll increases for Alligator Alley under a proposed private lease, detractors of the plan were highly skeptical of assurances made by transportation officials.
Florida Department of Transportation administrators have maintained throughout the seven-month public process that they would retain control of toll rates on the road.
“I find that very hard to believe,” said John Hickey, during a sometimes heated, often animated open house at the Golden Gate Community Center.
Hickey was talking with District Secretary Stan Cann, who made a short presentation at the beginning of the formal public hearing.
“I see peoples’ passion, and I respect that,” Cann said. “I do feel happy I was able to tell people some things they did not know. Many people don’t realize that the companies are not going to set the toll rates.”
Last month, the department released a schedule of the projected toll increases, which would rise with the cost of living over the next 50 years. An initial increase of 50 percent is proposed to take place in July 2009, which would bump the cash toll to $3.75 from the current rate of $2.50. Drivers using an electronic SunPass would see their tolls increased from $2 to $3.
After that, tolls would increase each January, starting in 2011, by either 3 percent or in line with the consumer price index, whichever is the larger increase. Language limiting a leasing entity to those terms will be written into the contract, officials say.
However, many vocal critics walked away from the hearing still shaking their heads.
“They’re not listening to anything and they’ve made up their minds,” said Aaron Knott, a North Naples resident. “What this is, is a stealth tax, above and beyond user fees. It allows the governor to raise taxes without saying he’s raised taxes.”
The crowd of about 40 — a smaller turnout than other recent meetings on the Alley — was bolstered by the presence of elected officials echoing many of the same concerns.
“Southwest Florida should not be satisfying the budget deficit elsewhere in the state,” said state Sen. Dave Aronberg (D-Greenacres) who was joined by Senator-elect Garret Richter (R-Naples).
However, Aronberg did praise the department for announcing that it would extend the deadline to receive bids on the road lease by nearly a month, saying it would allow the state to take a more reasoned look at the proposal. The deadline of Dec. 15 to receive bids from six teams of firms was pushed back to Jan. 9, according to a release.
The department also formalized previously announced plans to add two additional meetings for public comment, one in Broward County and another the day before, Dec. 2, in Collier County, at the Hilton Naples.
“It’s hard to separate the toll increase and the leasing of the Alley,” said David Urich, past president of the Responsible Growth Management Coalition. “I think they’re intertwined, and that’s why it’s difficult to separate them.”
As part of the public comment process, the state will continue to take input on the toll increase. Go to alligator-alley.com to submit comments or to learn more.
Not so Fast on an Alligator Alley Lease
Nov 20, 2008 11:27 AM From outsourced-logistics.com
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is seeking to lease the 78-mile section of Interstate 75 known as Alligator Alley to a private entity and to increase tolls on the roadway that will guarantee the winning bidder a profit. A state senator has thrown a roadblock in the path of the deal.
On one hand, six private firms are on the FDOT’s short list for the lease. It had originally established December 15 as the deadline for receiving Request for Proposals (RFP) from the six with the expectation of signing a contract with the winner in early 2009. The FDOT has extended the deadline for receipt of the RFPs to January 9 with announcement of the bids to be made public on January 12.
State Senator Dave Aronberg, who won re-election, filed a bill calling for a two-year moratorium on public-private leases and to prohibit foreign-based companies from leasing state assets. Each of the six private firms on the short list has at least one supporting member based in a foreign country.
The Everglades Parkway was built in the late 1960’s as a two-lane, controlled-access toll road. In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s the FDOT widened the road into what is now called Alligator Alley, making it four lanes and a limited-access, tolled road, part of the Florida Intrastate Highway System. Within the State, Interstate 75 runs along the West Coast to Naples, then across to Miami on the East Coast.
According to FDOT, during fiscal year 2007, 8.3 million toll transactions on Alligator Alley produced $23.5 million in revenues. Operations and maintenance costs for that same period were $6.1 million.
Omitting mention of non-equity partners the six entities on the short list are: The Alligator Alley Development Partners that includes Mexico’s OHL Concesiones and US Carlyle Infrastructure Partners LP; Italy’s Atlantia S.p.A; France’s Vinci Concessions, and US Hubbard Construction; Portugal’s Brisa, Brazil’s CCR and US JP Morgan IF Acquisitions LLC; Spain’s Cintra Concesiones de Infraestructuras de Transporte SA; and Spain’s Global Via Infraestructuras, S.A. The latter also has LBI Group, Inc., a part of Lehman Brothers that collapsed and was acquired by the UK’s Barclays.
