Proposed End Of Sunpass Discount Clears Committee
TALLAHASSEE (CBS4) - As the Florida Legislature looks to fill a $4 billion hole, the Senate budget committee this week approved a proposal to do away with the discount Sunpass users have enjoyed for years.
Currently, if a section of the Florida Turnpike costs $1 to travel, Sunpass users are only charged 75 cents.
The discount was given as a way of inducing people to use Sunpass and cut down on the lines at toll plazas for people paying cash.
But with many toll plazas now gone, and the state billing non-Sunpass holders by mail, the Legislature is considering doing away with the discount.
"Well that's what they always do," said Manuel Vega. "They give it to you and they take it away."
"They ask us to buy the Sunpass to make it cheaper, and now that everyone has a Sunpass, it's going to be the same price," said Renata Agredo. "It's not fair."
Agredo, a realtor, spends most of her time driving around South Florida. She said between rising gas prices and the possible increase in tolls - it is getting harder and harder to survive.
"Travel is getting expensive and my salary is getting lower because of that," Agredo said.
For a family driving the turnpike from Sunrise Boulevard to Disney World -- the proposed change would cost them an additional $6.60 cents in tolls for the round-trip.
And for the average Turnpike patron in South Florida, officials estimate the change would cost them an additional $125 a year in tolls.
As you might expect, Sunpass users are not happy about the proposed change.
"That's bad of course, absolutely," said Fanny Velasquez.
"I think it is ridiculous," agreed Vic Lafita. "I think they are high enough already to be truthful with you."
The one piece of good news is that the proposed increase would have no effect on Sunpass users who drive on local expressways, such as Dolphin, Don Shula and Gratigny.
So just how likely is it that the measure will pass and the discount will go away?
Sources told CBS4's Jim DeFede, that while the Senate budget committee has passed the proposal, the Florida House has no plans to take up the measure.
