Gov. Ron DeSantis shared the idea of eliminating tolls for Florida residents during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, potentially saving drivers hundreds of dollars annually by shifting costs entirely to out-of-state visitors.
The governor raised the concept during an update from Ben Watkins, director of Florida Division of Bond Finance.
"I'd love to be able to knock out the tolls and stuff that people are paying. How long do we keep these tolls? DeSantis said. The tolls have been around for as long as I can remember. As a kid, they had tolls on the Turnpike. At what point is all of this going to be paid off?"
Some viewers shared on Facebook that they are in favor of the idea, while others considered the revenue the state would lose.
"You could probably charge the visitors and they could support it all and give our Florida residents a break," DeSantis said. "I think that would be really good. Let me know. If there's a will, there's a way and we'll try to figure out how to get it done."
The proposal would represent a significant expansion of DeSantis' previous toll relief efforts. He has previously provided residents with 50% toll discounts when drivers hit 35 or more tolls in a single month. This new suggestion would mean a 100% discount for Floridians.
WATCH PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Toll relief program extended for another year in Florida
DeSantis did not provide details on how the toll program would work or how the pricing structure would compensate for lost revenue if residents no longer paid tolls.
The previous 50% program saved motorists about $400 each in 2023, with a total cost of about $500 million in savings to drivers, according to the state.
