Malloy’s Desire for Tolls Ignores Viable Solutions to Make Transportation a Priority

HARTFORD – Senate Republican President Pro Tempore Len Fasano (R-North Haven) released the following statement regarding Governor Dannel P. Malloy’s executive order and his efforts to bull rush the borrowing of $10 million to pay for a tolling study. The state Bond Commission is expected to approve this funding at today’s meeting.

“Governor Malloy has been laser focused on trying to push more burdens onto the backs of taxpayers to solve his financial mismanagement. He has become so blinded by his sudden, end of term vision to pickpocket the people of Connecticut through tolls that he cannot even see the value of other solutions on the table. If you listen to Governor Malloy, you would think that while the state has a short term transportation solution, we have absolutely no options for the long term besides tolls. This is fundamentally false. Republicans have offered a solution that would significantly boost transportation funding within current state resources without taxes or tolls. In fact, a portion of the Republican plan, Prioritize Progress, was included in the bipartisan budget; and as a result the state now has $100 million more annually for transportation in each of the next two years. Prioritize Progress has increased transportation funding in Connecticut to $1 billion annually – more than ever before.  We did this without raising any taxes or establishing tolls. Just think of what we could do if the Republican plan were rolled out over the long term. We could actually make transportation a true priority for our state and provide stable, long term funding. It is not only a solution for today; it’s also a solution for our future.”