THIS FRI – Tolls Public Hearing: Submit Testimony or Speak Out!

January 28, 2020

Action Alert: Tolls Public Hearing Scheduled for FRIDAY

 

If you oppose tolls NOW is the time to make your voice heard loud and clear.

On Friday January 31, 2020, at 1:00 pm in Hartford, CT Democrats are rushing to hold a public hearing on their latest tolls proposal before forcing a vote early next week. You can read more about the bill by clicking here.

You can come to Hartford on Friday to testify OR you can submit testimony online.

 

To speak out in Hartford:

  • Come to the Legislative Office Building on Friday, January 31, 2020
  • Signups will likely be held early in the day to testify later at the 1:00 pm hearing in Room 1E (more information to follow)
  • Tips and FAQs about testifying are available on our website by clicking here
  • Stay tuned for more details on how to testify in person

 

To submit testimony online:

  • Send a brief email ASAP to [email protected]
  • Put “NO to Draft Bill LCO #373. No to tolls” in the subject line
  • Include your name and town
  • Copy me on the email at [email protected]
  • Feel free to attend the hearing on Friday, January 31, 2020, at 1:00 pm in Hearing Room 1E

 

What’s in the Democrats latest proposal?

What we do know:

  • Tolls would be built in at least 12 locations throughout the state. Nothing in the bill stops the state from building additional toll locations in the future.
  • Trucks will have to pay right away.
  • Cars will be next. The protections in the bill are not even close to sufficient to stop future car tolling.
  • It puts CT taxpayers at risk of lawsuits from the trucking industry and legal challenges from the state of NY.
  • It is bought and paid for using taxpayer dollars. The governor is breaking his ‘debt diet’ to increase borrowing to buy votes.
  • Lawmakers will not have to hold a vote to increase toll rates and answer to taxpayers. The ability to raise rates will be entirely in the hands of a new state transportation council. And there’s nothing taxpayers or lawmakers can do to stop them.

What we don’t know:

  • No details on the numbers.
  • No details on which transportation projects will be funded, and which projects included in earlier proposals got cut.
  • No evidence to show how much revenue tolls will bring in.
  • No calculations showing the impact of toll avoidance.
  • No analysis of how toll avoidance would impact local roadways.
  • No explanation of if and how the Special Transportation Fund would remain in balance.

 

What’s the RUSH?  (Why Tolls NOW?)

First, we need an independent assessment of exactly what needs to be repaired, updated, or created as far as transportation infrastructure. An “independent assessment“ means an accurate accounting of what the cost and time to repair will be by someone with the expertise to do so who will not be the recipient of such a contract.

Then, and only after we know what we need to do, should we determine the plan for paying for it.

The EXISTING Special Transportation Fund should have over $1 billion per year as a result of money from federal grants and the gas tax alone. I find it highly unlikely that we cannot pay for our transportation infrastructure needs without needing any more than this amount of money.

The Special Transportation Fund is currently being used to pay for many other things including but not limited to DOT salaries, fringe benefits, and subsidies for train and rail.  If these items were instead properly covered by the general fund budget, then ample funding would remain available in the Special Transportation Fund for needed improvements.