As the 2014 NC General Assembly adjourns, we have NO new ferry tolls.
The NC House of Representatives remains determined to reform the ferry tolling system as part of a larger economic vision for coastal NC. House Transportation leadership believes, “It is the right thing to do” to remove ferry tolls and include our ferry system in a marketing plan for our coast. Tourism produces needed revenue, whereas tolling removes money from coastal communities. We will push this marketing concept in the 2015 General Assembly.
In the interim, we are laying the necessary groundwork for enabling legislation to remove all ferry tolls.
Please thank Sen. Bill Cook, Sen. Norman Sanderson, Rep. Bob Steinburg, Rep. Michael Speciale, and Rep. Paul Tine for their work to protect our ferries! In House Bill 1234, sponsored by Reps. Steinburg, Speciale, Torbett, Jeter, and Tine, the House voted 106-2 to remove all tolls and use alternate funding sources of revenue.
Despite the work of Sen. Bill Cook and Sen. Norman Sanderson, there remained a pocket of resistance in the Senate Transportation Committee. We will continue to work on this situation in the 2015 legislation session.
The law remains as passed in 2013. Prior to establishing tolls on an untolled ferry route, the NC Board of Transportation must receive a resolution approved by the Transportation Advisory Committee of each affected local transportation planning organization requesting tolls on that route. See NC General Statute Section 136-82 (a). No such requests have been received, thanks to the vocal opposition of coastal citizens.
Ferry toll activists should remain vigilant. Keep in touch with your local representatives to these transportation advisory committees. Attend your RPO and MPO meetings. If efforts to agitate for such resolutions begin, please contact us immediately.
Thank you for this opportunity to serve you. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact us immediately. Best regards, Joe and Henri McClees
Joseph D. McClees, Lobbyist
S. Henri McClees, Attorney at Law
McClees Consulting, Inc.
PO Box 430
Oriental, NC 28571
Office (252) 249-1097
Fax (252) 249-3275
Joe’s mobile (252) 671-1585
Henri’s mobile (252) 671-1559