New Democratic plan scraps cars and proposes truck-only tolls at 12 sites across Connecticut

[TexasTowelie]

New Democratic plan scraps cars and proposes truck-only tolls at 12 sites across Connecticut; Lamont wants all sides to meet soon


House Democratic leaders proposed a new compromise Tuesday that calls for installing electronic highway tolls for trucks only on 12 bridges across the state in the latest chapter in the long-running debate at the state Capitol.

The move represents an alternative to Gov. Ned Lamont’s proposal for 14 tolled bridges where all drivers would be charged. Senate Democrats derailed that plan last week as the yearlong saga continued with legislators refusing to vote in favor of tolls, despite months of work on the issue by Lamont’s transportation and finance teams.

The new proposal Tuesday did not change any minds among the strongest toll opponents as Senate and House Republican leaders opposed the plan, along with the conservative Yankee Institute, the state’s leading trucking association and the grassroots No Tolls CT organization.

House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz of Berlin and House Majority Leader Matt Ritter of Hartford are seeking tolls on 12 bridges that were initially outlined in Lamont’s plan. Two toll sites have been dropped — on Route 9 in Middletown and on the Merritt Parkway, where trucks are not permitted. Their proposal would raise an estimated $150 million a year, far less than the minimum amount needed to finance borrowing for Lamont’s 10-year, $21 billion initiative.

Read more: https://www.courant.com/politics/hc-pol-tolls-latest-compromise-20191119-jg7szkfskjavpibrbesnrjk6va-story.html