It’s tough to find a politician or government agency that says they favor a toll on the Judge S.S. Jolley Bridge.

Tonight the island’s City Council will consider a resolution urging the Florida Department of Transportation to fund a new bridge without a toll. The resolution, placed on the agenda at the urging of Councilman Glenn Tucker, is expected to pass by a large, possibly unanimous, margin.

Major island organizations, such as the Marco Island Civic Association (MICA), Marco Island Taxpayers Association (MITA) and other island acronyms have all come out against a toll.

Collier County and Department of Transportation officials emphasized a continued search for alternative funding sources, ones that have eluded them for more than 15 years.

Even Marco Council Chairman Mike Minozzi, the only councilor to vote against having the resolution on the agenda, said he isn’t sure what his vote will be tonight.

“I’m not in favor of tolling, but if no toll means no bridge I might have to rethink that,” he said.

Time will tell, however, whether council’s vote will be more than just symbolic.

The bridge is state-owned so ultimately the Department of Transportation will have the final say on funding for a replacement bridge. Department of Transportation spokeswoman Debbie Tower said a vote against a toll tonight would have no immediate impact on the department’s funding plans.

Tower added that the Department of Transportation takes its funding priorities from the Collier County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).

Currently, the Jolley Bridge is second on the MPO’s list of needs, behind the widening of Davis Boulevard.

The Jolley Bridge was built in 1969 with a 50-year lifespan and designed to handle 10,000 vehicles a day. Current traffic counts have more than doubled that figure. Without a toll, the earliest, county officials said, a new bridge could be built is 2025.

The MPO began the first of a two-part toll feasibility study in March that is to wrap up by January. The study will continue at least until then, according to Nick Casalanguida, planning manager for the county’s transportation division.

“At least we’re going to provide the base information to them like we promised,” he said.

A City council position against a toll will have more impact once the first half of the study is completed and everyone has had a chance to analyze the data, Casalanguida added.

Others, like Marco’s council, aren’t waiting that long.

Collier County Commissioner Donna Fiala, who represents Marco Island, is drafting an article for use in an upcoming MICA newsletter against a toll.

“I’m not one who believes in tolls,” she said.

But when asked for alternative funding sources for the bridge, Fiala — like everyone else — was vague.

“Maybe it’s time for us to take a firm stand with the state,” she said.

In other council business tonight, the city will hold a public hearing on an increase to reuse water rates. The rate increase, which has been in the works since January, will raise rates to 40 percent of potable water rates by 2009.

Also, council is expected to award a contract for the building of the first city-owned public beach access on the island next to the Madeira condominium complex. The two current access points —Tigertail and South Beach — are county run.

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