Hearings held to discuss Golden Gate toll increases

Then, a hearing will be held Wednesday at the Fort Mason Center's Landmark Building in San Francisco and a hearing on April 8 will be at Kenilworth Junior High School in Petaluma.

All three meetings are between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District is exploring the options and impacts of raising the toll to pay for ongoing services and capital projects.

Options include $3 to $5 tolls for two-axle vehicles with discount rates for FasTrak, according to district officials.

A summary of public comments and ideas will be received on April 25 by the district's Finance-Auditing Committee. Staff recommendations will be received by the committee in May and a late June formal public hearing date will be set.

A second round of open house public information meetings will also be held in Marin, Sonoma and San Francisco counties in June.

The committee will act on staff recommendations on July 11 and the district's Board of Directors will act on the committee's recommendations and establish an implementation date, if necessary, on July 12.

The informational hearings will include presentations on the district's financial status, budget projections through 2013, revenue sources and how toll dollars are spent.<