Your editorial of Aug. 13, “Surprise over tax hike shows public’s apathy,” makes a cogent point: No matter how much publicity is brought to bear on important or complex issues, many people will not complain until after the bad news arrives.

For whatever it is worth, your publicity and the resulting public pressure did impact the Turnpike’s toll increase last year.

The Turnpike revamped its capital program to reduce the increase from $25 million per year to about $19 million. The proposed cash rate at New Gloucester dropped from $2.50 to $2.25. And the Turnpike created a greatly enhanced discount program for all Maine families using E-ZPass.

Since then, new cheap E-ZPass transponders have been flying off the shelves as Mainers realize how much less expensive it is to travel with electronic tolls. For frequent users, the E-ZPass rate is often less than 3 or 4 cents per mile, one of the cheapest rates for any toll highway in the world.

Vigilant newspapers can still have impact.

Peter Mills, executive director, Maine Turnpike Authority