Florida abusing citizens with unjustified toll-road fees

I do not understand why there is not more outrage about the new toll program implemented in Florida.

To take pictures of your vehicle where there are no posted tolls, send you a bill months after the fact for a total amount you've supposedly incurred (with an administrative fee attached as much as the toll fee itself) and then require you to pay it or risk your car registration being held hostage is more than outrageous!

What I can imagine, easily, is the windfall that goes to the state treasury with the amount of traffic (and detours) in Tampa every day. Have we come to the point where our basic constitutional rights no longer exist?

A democracy does not pass mandates without consumer input or notification. A democracy does not set up consumers to pay for services they aren't even aware of using.

A democracy does not hold its citizens hostage and manipulate their rights to put more money in the state coffers or to force compliance to a program they are promoting (Sunpass).

A democracy does not fail to provide a format for contesting mistaken billings.

Many of us elderly rarely go to Tampa. We aren't the only ones. We don't want a Sunpass.

In addition, the opportunity for fraud is scary. I myself was billed $26 when my car was nowhere near Tampa. The picture was so dark, you couldn't make out the car much less the license number. I don't go to Tampa and I live alone. No one uses my car. Ever.

So where did these tolls come from? When you go to register your car, be prepared.

Please, let your outrage be known. Write the governor or Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. Fight for your rights before you have none.

Judith Russett

Bradenton

This story was originally published February 27, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Florida abusing citizens with unjustified toll-road fees ."