Have to reply to this, NN. And please don't anyone make any comments about me supporting Poly again.
You are comparing apples and oranges. A road outside your house is paid for by you and your neighbors, or at least the upgrades to it are. The cost of paving and other services to your area are paid on your taxes on a pro rata per foot of frontage basis. This is proper because you are the one benefiting from it, so you pay. A fireman,or teacher, or policeman is a benefit to all of the community, so they all pay.
Regarding a toll highway, The coquihalla highway built in B.C. in 1984, has been a toll highway since inception, and has just had the tolls removed since the tolls have successfully repaid the province for cost of construction and maintenance. The new bridge spanning the Fraser river at Port Mann will be a toll bridge with the same intention. Once the original cost plus expenses have been repaid the toll will be removed. It is user pay. That is as it should be
Regrds
K