Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suggested eliminating road tolls for Florida residents during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.During the meeting, DeSantis suggested that seasonal residents and tourists passing through could help free Floridians from Turnpike System tolls. The comment came as part of a broader talk about the state’s affordability. Approximately $2 billion is collected annually on the Florida Turnpike. DeSantis says now is the time to look at how toll revenue is collected. Tolls have been collected on Florida’s Turnpike since its first section opened as the Sunshine State Parkway in 1957. “The tolls have been here since I can remember. As a kid, they had tolls on the turnpike. At what point is all of this going to be paid off?” DeSantis said.Toll money, initially used to pay off bonds that financed building the road, and went toward new projects. About 80 percent of the three million daily customers use toll transponders, which offer a lower cost than paying cash.“I’d love to be able to knock out the tolls and stuff that people are paying. It’s like, how long do we keep the tolls?” DeSantis said. “You could charge the visitors. They could probably support it all and give our Florida residents a break. I think that would be really good.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suggested eliminating road tolls for Florida residents during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

During the meeting, DeSantis suggested that seasonal residents and tourists passing through could help free Floridians from Turnpike System tolls.

The comment came as part of a broader talk about the state’s affordability.

Approximately $2 billion is collected annually on the Florida Turnpike. DeSantis says now is the time to look at how toll revenue is collected.

Tolls have been collected on Florida’s Turnpike since its first section opened as the Sunshine State Parkway in 1957.

“The tolls have been here since I can remember. As a kid, they had tolls on the turnpike. At what point is all of this going to be paid off?” DeSantis said.

Toll money, initially used to pay off bonds that financed building the road, and went toward new projects.

About 80 percent of the three million daily customers use toll transponders, which offer a lower cost than paying cash.

“I’d love to be able to knock out the tolls and stuff that people are paying. It’s like, how long do we keep the tolls?” DeSantis said. “You could charge the visitors. They could probably support it all and give our Florida residents a break. I think that would be really good.”