Fasano: Even Toll Supporters Question Whether the Numbers Add Up
January 30, 2020Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano (R-North Haven) is continuing to raise questions about the latest tolls bill as Democrats continue to withhold all details on the projections and numbers associated with the bill set for a public hearing on Friday.
And he’s not the only one with questions.
According to a report published in the Waterbury Republican American, Don Shubert, president of Connecticut Construction Industries Association (CCIA), who has expressed support for tolls in the past, has recently shared doubts about the claims being made about the latest tolls bill.
Reported in the Republican American:
The CCIA’s Shubert said the TIFIA loans appear a viable funding option, but he also questioned if the anticipated toll revenue will be sufficient.
He cited a DOT analysis from October 2019 that calculated annual state funding levels currently fall $400 million of the estimated $2 billion needed to maintain the highway and mass transit systems in a state of good repair.
He said there is still a funding gap with the estimated $180 million in toll revenue.
Sculley and Shubert questioned the ability of state Department of Transportation to develop, design and deliver the tolling projects on top of its other construction management responsibilities.
“I’d love to see the schedule, a schedule of just the funding and the project development because you really won’t know a lot until you see those,” Shubert said.
“If Democrats are so confident in their tolls plan, why do they continue to withhold the numbers from the public? Even their supporters can’t get information,” said Sen. Fasano. “We may have a bill, but we have no details on what the numbers are, what projects will be funded and how any of the projections were calculated. Even toll supporters recognize that information is not being made available, which doesn’t give the public a full picture of what this plan actually does. The lack of transparency here is alarming. The whole process has been about avoiding sunlight and rushing the bill through before people actually know what it does or doesn’t do. Tomorrow’s public hearing is nothing more than an attempt by Democrats to claim they are giving people a voice, when they still haven’t shared the facts.”