I have attended and spoken at a number of hearings on Mercer Island and in Bellevue in opposition to any tolls on I-90. Numerous times, I’ve written my protests to Rep. Judy Clibborn. Once again, I urged her not to toll I-90. In my 74 years of life, I cannot remember when Americans in general were so distrustful of government, local, state and national. The examples of these feelings are all around us. Please listen to us.

An overwhelming majority of Americans never expected any interstate roads/highways to be tolled. Surely you all know and understand this. The Mercer Island bridge already has been paid for three times before by the citizens. First, when it was built in 1939. Second, when the parallel bridge with HOV lanes was built in 1995. Third, when the old bridge sank due to the incompetent decision to retain the pressure washing water in its pontoons.

Now state, local and federal government thinks the citizens, mainly of Mercer Island and the Eastside, should pay the equivalent of a fourth bridge, which is not even in the interstate system. If you have any sense of the effect you have on government’s truthfulness, competence or obligation to the people you represent, you will not let this tolling of I-90 happen.

Frederic S. Weiss