To the editor:

As our governments at every level seem to be clamoring at finding and implementing more ways to track our citizens’ every move it is highly disappointing that Lee County has decided to permanently keep the bridge electronic toll collection process that was implemented due to COVID virus. Just another way for government to track our every move.

You must have a transponder that will record and track every time a person crosses a toll bridge. There will now be a record on file of everyone’s movements back and forth across the bridges, including the vehicle you’re driving, license plate number, direction you are traveling and date and time. These records will be in government hands forever.

Even more disappointing if you refuse to get this tracking device installed in your car, you now will be penalized more then double the regular cost of the toll ($5 vs $2). You must conform or you will pay more.

A lot more.

This is also a great opportunity for Lee County to collect toll monies way up front as you must keep a positive cash balance for your transponder account. So the county will and is holding probably millions of dollars of the public money to do whatever with.

I personally do not want to pay for a service until I use the service. Now we will be forced into handing over cash to the government days, weeks or even months before you use the bridge or be forced to pay more than double.

Am I the only one that has a problem with this tracking our movements across the bridge we are paying for?

Am I the only one that thinks that more than doubling the cost to cross the bridge if I don’t sign on to the county’s tracking system OK?

Is Lee County really authorized to implement a public movement tracking system without asking the residents if it is OK?

Lloyd James

Cape Coral