ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- A controversial toll hike went into effect Sunday, just in time for many drivers' Monday morning commute. However, one group hit the road to protest the 25 cent increase at toll booths all over Central Florida. Duvall Pinkelton says he is fed up with the new toll hike. He along with over two dozen drivers protested the 25 cent toll increase at the entrance ramp to the 408 at Bumby Avenue and South Street
(see map) Monday morning. "I ride this everyday, everyday from eastside to westside. That's going to pick up in a week, that's going to add up in a month, that's going to add up in six months or a year," said Pinkelton. Doug Guetzloe headed a boycott at two busy Orange County on-ramps Monday morning. His group is disgusted about a 25 cent toll hike at close to all area toll booths. Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority raised tolls at 75 percent of its ramps and plazas by one quarter. Not everyone is happy about it. "It's terrible. It's terrible. We use it every time, a quarter for us is like $4.00 extra," said one upset toll road customer. "I think it's definitely an outrage," said driver Franky Gadson. "Why are you outraged?" asked WFTV reporter Mark Boyle. "Because with the economy being bad, I'm going cheap as I can," responded Gadson. The Expressway Authority's former chairman was accused of paying Guetzloe $107, 000 to keep any opposition to toll increases quiet. Now Guetzloe is protesting the toll hike. "We see whole masses deciding to turn left and not take the toll ramp," said protester Cheryl Matchett. The group is called "Ax the Tax" and supporters will be urged drivers to choose different routes and avoid the toll roads all together. "If you got to work on here, you pay 25 cents to get to work, 25 cents to get back. You do that everyday you know. You calculate that, it's a lot of money," said protester Holly Vickers. "It's hard feeding kids now-a-days and they think they're going to get off. It adds up. Everything adds up," said Pinkelton. The Expressway Authority says the higher tolls are needed to pay for future construction and to protect the Expressway's credit rating.
