How about charging a toll at the border to pay for a fence?

Politics & Elections
1

Proposal:
US charges $7 a car toll and $12 commercial trucks to cross the border.

Paid electronically by Ez Pass

To build, staff, and maintain a border fence.

Wouldn’t that solve the current problem?

Texas already has toll roads. Charged by the mile.
Here’s Austin TX
https://www.txtag.org/en/about/tollroad_austin_area.shtml

Toll fees can cost more.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.usatoday.com/amp/930900001

$7 to cross the border seems pretty reasonable.

We already have laws that allow toll roads. No additional legislation should be needed.

How about it? Is this the solution?

I’ve unsuccessfully tried Googling an estimate of the cars that pass through the border.

2

How long/high a fence are you envisioning, and to combat what specific issue?

3

The standard fence we use now for border security.

I think it’s 10 ft?

I’ve crossed the border at Larado many times. It’s always packed with traffic.

https://goo.gl/images/VQemsk

I’m actually surprised we aren’t collecting a toll to defray costs.

4

I found these statistics for US Mexico. Use the drop down box to select US Mexico.
https://explore.dot.gov/t/BTS/views/BTSBorderCrossingAnnualData/BorderCrossingTableDashboard?:embed=y&:showShareOptions=true&:display_count=no&:showVizHome=no
A toll would bring in some serious cash for border security.

Taking the burden off taxpayers.

5

How long will the fence be?

6

So, Mexico isn’t paying for it?

7

5 billion in one year would require almost 2 million cars per day.

8

The underlying problem isn’t the cost. Trump and Trump supporters don’t seem to understand that. 5 billion is a drop in the bucket. The underlying problem is it’s a stupid fucking idea.

9

Someone’s gonna have to go back and get a whole SHITLOAD of dimes.
Some places a fence makes sense. Other places it doesn’t. Most here illegally didn’t cross where there were no fences, they simply overstayed their entry. Most drugs come in hidden in shipping containers. Most immigrants are law abiding. There is no crisis, no need for a stupid wall, and no need to come up with silly things like crowd-funding, tolls, or bake sales to pay for it.

10

How about we don’t give Loser Donald a single penny, from any source, for his pointless racism wall?

11

I’m not sure Aceplace is talking about Trump’s folly. The OP mentioned a fence. I’ve asked him 3 or so questions about it, but he’s only answered one of them.

12

Trump claimed 1 million people and 400,000 vehicles cross the US-Mexico border every day, and Politifact says that’s plausible if you count both inbound and outbound travel.

If that’s true, $5 billion in a year would require a $35 toll per vehicle, assuming the toll does not affect the traffic. Which of course is a stupid assumption - lots of people go to Mexico to buy things cheaper (esp. medication). Most will stop making those trips if it costs $70 per round trip.

13

Yes, I’m focused on repairing the existing fence and augmenting new fencing where border control says it’s actually needed.

Imho a lot of the 650 miles already installed can be maintained and used. It doesn’t require replacement.

There are very remote areas where fencing isn’t practical. Electronic surveillance can be used instead.

Maybe another 400 to 600 miles of fencing is needed? Maybe less?

It can be done for a lot less than 5 billion.

14

So you’re going to charge people who commute across the border an extra $7.00 a day? Why should they be paying for it?

And would you be charging the “toll” at every port? Only vehicles? How about pedestrians? How about people entering the country on planes? How are you going to get around equal protection objections?

15

It’s a road use toll just like the majority of states already charge.

The law for toll roads is already well established.

The people using the road help pay for it.

It costs a lot to staff and operate a customs entry port on the border. The people that use it should pay a small fee.

There’s very few states that don’t have toll roads.

https://www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-motorola&ei=LUUxXJjsF5HytAXDwoqABw&q=states+with+toll+roads&oq=states+with+toll+roads&gs_l=mobile-gws-wiz-serp.3..0j0i22i30l4.327128.342027..342776...7.0..0.165.2976.1j23......0....1.......5..46j35i39j46i39j46i131j0i67j46i67j0i20i263j33i22i29i30j33i160.ks0WRLgkDp4#imgrc=MgmbYQp_hYMnlM:

16

The entity that owns the road charges the toll. Not the federal government.

17

Oh, so you are talking about Trump’s thing. Nevermind paying for it, we don’t need it. It would be a waste of resources, and even if Mexico paid for it the wall would be a blight on the beautiful American landscape and an environmental nightmare. Walls are effective around prisons, ancient castles and failed authoritarian areas.
Tell me, why do you think we need it?

18

Aren’t the Interstates with tolls Federal?

I had always assumed that’s who gets the money.

19

Which problem are you trying to solve? Actually boosting border security (and, if so, why?) or making Trump happy? Because he doesn’t want money to add fencing and improve security – he wants his rattle, uh, I mean, his blankie…sorry, he wants his wall.

So, how does your proposal to build fencing solve that problem?

20

All I’m suggesting is augmenting and maintaining what’s there.

That’s not comparable to Trump’s grand wall.