OPINION: Stop the Governor’s Toll Study

At this point, many of you may have caught wind of Governor Malloy’s announcement last week to use his power of executive order to request that the Department of Transportation (DOT) conduct a $10 million dollar feasibility study of implementing electronic tolls.

The legislature made it clear during the 2018 legislative session that we would not be moving forward with plans to study or place tolls throughout Connecticut. Unfortunately, the governor has decided to completely bypass the legislature and make a unilateral decision to study tolls.

To make matters worse, information on tolls was already collected and findings indicate that although tolls may assist Connecticut in paying for transportation infrastructure, it would do so at the expense of commuters and taxpayers.

In a statement released by the governor’s office, he said: “During this past legislative session, we heard time and again from legislators that they wished for more information regarding electronic tolling, including specific recommendations with respect to its possible implementation.”

Governor Malloy’s statement could not be further from the truth, confirming what many of us have suspected for quite some time now – he is disconnected from his taxpayers and does not understand what his state wants or needs. This is just another example of the tax-and-spend mentality that has contributed to the financial crisis that we now find ourselves in. This state is drowning in debt, yet five months before his term is over Governor Malloy thinks it’s a good idea to spend more taxpayer dollars. Simply put, this is a slap in the face.

According to the governor’s executive order, DOT will conduct the following:

• Prepare a comprehensive assessment for possible electronic tolling on I-95, I-91, I-84, the Wilbur Cross Parkway, the Merritt Parkway, and any other limited access highways as determined by the DOT Commissioner, which includes potential toll monitoring and specifies proposed toll charges;
• Explore potential ways to provide discounts, tax credits, or other value-pricing options to Connecticut residents while ensuring out-of-state drivers contribute their fair share;
• Explore plans that could reduce motor vehicle fuel taxes; and
• Study the environmental impacts of electronic tolling systems.

Although I understand the need to improve many of our roads, highways, bridges, and railroads, using tolls to generate these funds is not the answer. During the 2018 session, the legislature came together to adopt a budget that fully funds transportation projects as scheduled. Included in this budget was funding for the Special Transportation Fund (STF) resulting in $29 million to the STF in Fiscal Year 19, $120 in Fiscal Year 20, $204.8 in Fiscal Year 21, $275.7 in Fiscal Year 22, and $369.4 in Fiscal Year 23.

We need to spend less and prioritize the funds that we do have if we are going to get ourselves on fiscally solid ground. Instead of proposing studies that cost the state more money, Governor Malloy should be cutting costs. Asking the taxpayers of this state to shell out more money on a tolls study is going in the wrong direction. The people of this state cannot handle much more of this tax-and-spend mentality.

The Special State Bonding Commission is scheduled to meet at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 25^th to approve these funding requests submitted by Governor Malloy. As Chairman of the Commission, he has the discretion to determine which items are included in the bonding meeting. I encourage you to contact his office at (860) 566-4840 and urge him to “Vote NO on the Tolls Study!” If hearing directly from the people of this state does not change his mind, I don’t know what else will.