Group asks Gov. Deal to remove Ga. 400 toll - Atlanta News, Weather, Traffic, and Sports | FOX 5

An activist group is asking Governor Nathan Deal to honor a campaign pledge regarding the controversial toll for Georgia Highway 400.

Gov. Deal made the Georgia 400 toll a focal point of his campaign. Two years later, he's getting a pointed reminder that the toll remains in place.

Roswell resident Garland Favorito carried about 400 petitions to the governor's office on Tuesday asking Deal to remove the 50-cent toll.
 
"We think it would be a tremendous thing for all of Georgia to see when that toll both comes down," said Favorito.

There was no immediate response from Deal's office, or from the State Road and Tollway Authority, which collects the tolls.

Favorito's group displayed a photograph from the governor's 2010 campaign showing the candidate holding a "closed" sign. A campaign statement at the time said he would "swing the sledgehammer" and "bring down this toll."

"To continue this imposes a $100 million tax burden on the residents and motorists of Fulton County," said Favorito.

But the situation with the Georgia 400 toll became complicated after Gov. Deal made his campaign promise.

Under then-Governor Sonny Perdue, the State Road and Tollway Authority reinstated the toll, which was to expire, to pay for improvement projects along 400. Since then, Gov. Deal's spokesman and other officials have said the toll cannot be simply be eliminated because bonds issued by the state are backed by future toll revenue.

The group sponsoring the petitions contends the State Tollway Authority has enough money on hand to pay off the bonds.