A recent and really ridiculous Blackwell blog post claims that we should lease the Ohio Turnpike to foreign investors because it “provides no direct financial benefit to the taxpayers of Ohio.”

SELF FUNDING
In fact, the Ohio Turnpike is probably the only highway in Ohio that is NOT funded by taxpayers. It doesn’t cost them a dime- that’s what the TOLLS are for.

TAX REVENUE GENERATING
Besides being an important, self-funded part of the state’s transportation infrastructure, the Ohio Turnpike also provides a shit-load of additional indirect AND DIRECT economic benefits to the state. For example, “95% of Ohio’s $58 million in gas tax revenue generated from miles driven on the Turnpike flows to Ohio Department of Transportation and local governments”.

LOW TOLL HAVING
“Compared to other toll roads in the country the Ohio Turnpike has lower rates than any other toll road except the Indiana Toll Road. However, the Indiana Toll Road recently announced that it will raise its toll rates 72% for cars and 113%”

As a result, “The Ohio Turnpike’s toll rates are soon to be the lowest in the country.”

FYI: Indiana just finished leasing the Indiana Toll Road to a Spanish Australian group for the next 75 years.