【禁聞】100公里養400人的高速收費站　

【新唐人2011年5月25日訊】大陸媒體報導，中國高速公路的收費和管理成本偏高，造成物流成本降不下來，也抬高了米價、菜價，造成民眾生活負擔。有媒體指出，官商一體，絕對權力造就的組織文化，才是各種不合理收費的問題來源。

《廣州日報》5月23號報導，河南高速公路洛陽分公司，負責一百公里左右的公路收費員工，就有403個。報導指出，洛陽分公司主要負責收費管理，不用負責路線規劃、道路施工等，平均每公里4個人負責好像太多了，不過這還不是最多的，比如滬寧高速公路每公里由5.4個人負責管理，成本更高。

不只如此，各地路橋費偏高也引發關注。上週末《世界新聞網》報導，截至5月18號為止，網民票選出了收費排行榜的前五名所謂「搖錢樹」，分別是：浙江臺州椒江大橋、河南漯河收費站、河南鄭州黃河大橋、浙江金華白龍橋收費站，加上濟南黃河大橋。

但是如椒江大橋總投資3億2000萬元，自2001年12月12號起收取車輛通行費，日通車量2萬5000輛。知情人士指出，收費站每天收入約25萬元，十年早就連本帶利賺回來了。

雖然官方回應說，這些收費是有合法「依據」的！不過網民批評：本來就用納稅人的錢修路，夠本就行了，憑甚麼還要賺我們（人民）的錢？山東大學哲學與社會發展學院馬廣海教授也向媒體表示：油價飛漲，路橋收費高，生活成本上升，加上各種罰款，民眾怨言越來越多。

《西安晚報》深入調查發現，物流成本太高，造成蔬菜一邊批發價賤，一邊零售價貴，「菜賤傷農」和「菜貴傷民」兩種矛盾現象同時發生。

比如西葫蘆在山東產地價格5分錢一斤。一路運到北京菜市場後，價格上漲20倍。這個月（5月）17號《第一財經日報》報導，2009年農副食品加工業物流成本約佔12.9%，其中運輸成本就超過一半，佔54.9%。這個月（5月）中國物流與採購聯合會發佈的最新數據顯示，去年（2010年）中國物流總費用佔國內生產總值約18%，「物流成本偏高」也是商品價格抬高的重要因素之一。

過路費太高同樣讓不少「非公務車」車主繞行省道或村道，造成物流成本降不下來，抬高了米價、菜價。歐美用來提升民眾生活的高速公路，移到中國反而增加民眾生活負擔。雖然最近官方有研議要降低路費？不過《西安晚報》的記者質疑：這麼多人靠公路吃飯，所謂「最後一公里」的物流成本降的下來嗎？

《廣州日報》指出，問題根源於中國現有的「官商一體文化」。比如湖南懷新高速公路管理處斥資170萬元要蓋「鎮妖塔」，蘭州路橋費收費管理處更搶在「五部委取消公路養路費」實施前，沒通過就想「預徵」2010年全年路橋費。

報導指出，仔細研究這兩個單位的性質，他們的上級都是「N塊牌子、一套班子」的官商一體式單位。在缺乏制衡下，決策者自然可以把穩賺不賠的「好生意」按照部門、系統來分配，或把事關國計民生的產業留給亦官亦商的企業。最後形成特定人士的印鈔機、提款機，或親友就業站。在中國，類似的「官商一體」單位從油到電，從煙到鹽，數也數不清。

新唐人記者曾耀賢、王明宇綜合報導。

One Highway Uses 400 Toll Collectors

According to China』s state-run media,

travelling on China』s highways』

could cost you dearly in tolls and other charges.

As the cost of managing China』s highways increases,

so do the logistical costs, which in turn

raises the prices of rice, vegetables, and other goods.

This extra financial burden directly affects

the lives of everyone who uses the highways.

Some media pointed out that the reason toll charges

are so high is due to the collaboration between

officials, businesses, and the organization structure

of absolute power.

Guangzhou Daily reported on May 23 that Henan

Express Company Luoyang Subsidiary has 403 staff

in charge of approximately 62 miles of highway.

According to the report, the Luoyang Subsidiary

only deals with toll administration and has nothing

to do with route planning or road construction.

So an average of four staff per every .62 miles,

is too many. Shanghai-Nanjing Expressway has an

average of 5.4 staff per .62 miles and the toll costs

are even higher.

Moreover, people are suspicious

of the high bridge tolls, and often talk about them.

World Journal reported last weekend that on May 18,

China』s netizens selected the top five

『most profitable』 toll bridges in China, which are:

Jiaojiang Bridge in Taizhou, Zhejiang,

Luohe Toll Station in Henan,

Huanghe Bridge in Zhengzhou, Henan,

Bailong Bridge Toll Station in Jinhua, Zhejiang,

and the Huanghe Bridge in Jinan.

However, the total costs involved in constructing

these bridges was not very high.

For example, it only took about 5 million dollars

to construct the Jiaojiang Bridge.

Considering the daily flow of about 25,000 vehicles,

since December 12, 2001, an insider revealed

that the toll stations』 daily revenue is around $38,000.

Thus, the authorities can get back both their principal

and interest in 10 years.

Although the authorities say that these charges

have a legal basis, netizens still complained:

“Taxpayers pay for the construction of the highways

thus, the authorities shouldn』t charge more than

the total investment of the toll bridge. So why are they

making money on us people?”

Professor Ma Guanghai from Shandong University

told the media: “People are complaining about

soaring oil prices and bridge tolls, which in turn raises

the cost of living, along with a multitude of fines.”

According to an investigation conducted by the

Xi』an Evening News, high logistical costs

have resulted in low wholesale prices and

high retail prices of vegetables,

which equally affect both farmers and customers.

For example, the actual costs involved in growing

marrow squash in Shandong Province rises

20 times after the vegetable is transported to Beijing.

China Business News reported on May 17

that in 2009, logistical costs accounted for 12.9 percent

of the total costs of all farm products, with 54 percent

of that 12.9 percent being spent on transportation.

According to China Federation of Logistics and

Purchasing』s latest data, in May of last year,

China』s total logistical costs accounted for

18 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP),

which was the main reason

for the high costs of retail goods.

The high toll bridge charges also cause

many “unofficial cars” to travel along rural roads

thus helping to keep the logistical costs high,

which in turn raises the prices of rice and vegetables.

In Western countries, highways improve people』s lives.

But in China, highways make people』s lives harder.

Although the authorities have discussed cutting tolls,

Xi』an Evening News』 reporters asked, “How could the

logistical costs, known as the 『last mile,』 actually drop

when so many people are making a living

on highway tolls?”

Guangzhou Daily pointed out that the problem exists

due to the “collaboration between officials

and businesses” in China.

For example, the Huaixin Highway Administration

in Hunan, spent $261,000 to build a “Zhenyao Pagoda.”

But the Lanzhou Toll Administration “pre-collected”

2010』s annual tolls in 2009 without permission, right

before the “cancellation of highway maintenance

fees for five ministries” was put into force.

According to the report, the supervisors of these two

institutions had numerous ties with officials and

businesses. With minimal regulation and oversight,

the people in charge can freely distribute the profits

to different businesses, departments, and systems,

or they can leave the business to

bureaucratic merchants, thus affecting the welfare

of the masses. Finally, these businesses naturally

become 『cash-cows,』 money printing machines, or

cash dispensers, or serve as employment centers

for their relatives. In China,

these bureaucratic-merchant businesses are countless:

from oil to electricity, from cigarettes to salt.

NTD reporters Zeng Yaoxian and Wang Mingyu