NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A state audit finds an amnesty program aimed at getting motorists to cough up the cash they owed for Crescent City Connection toll violations cost Louisiana almost $225,000 more than it brought in.
The state Legislative Auditor’s report, which examined how funds from the CCC tolls have been used since the tolls ended last year, also found nearly $6.6 million remained unclaimed in an account set up to refund money to motorists who used Geaux Pass toll tags at the end of December.
The two programs were part of an effort to close the books on the CCC tolls, which ended last year after voters rejected a proposal to extend them for another 20 years. A set of bills passed after that election aimed to refund money remaining on Geaux Pass accounts and provide a way for motorists to have fees and fines on toll violations waived if they paid the tolls owed. The bills also dedicated the rest of the money in the CCC’s accounts to funds largely aimed at running the since-privatized ferries in the New Orleans area.
All told, the Crescent City Connection Division had about $31.3 million available at the end of last year, about $12.8 million of which went back to the state Transportation Department for bridge and marine program operations. Much of the rest was spent on previously planned projects, with about $6.9 million going to a transition fund set up when the tolls expired.
Officials are required to use about $4 million of the transition fund for improvements or replacement of the ferries, an amount that could be bolstered if it is used to draw down federal money. Another $1.7 million of the money in the fund will go to Veolia Transportation - which runs the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority and took over the ferries earlier this year - to help subsidize the ferry operations
The New Orleans Advocate reports (https://bit.ly/1g1F0lq ) a program put under State Treasurer John Kennedy to refund the remaining balances on Geaux Pass accounts returned about $713,000 to account holders.
That money is still considered unclaimed property and can be claimed until June 30. More information on that program is available at refundthetolls.com.
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Information from: The New Orleans Advocate, https://www.neworleansadvocate.com
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