Rep. Zullo, Republican Lawmakers Present Alternative to Tolls

HARTFORD – Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano (R, 34) and State Representatives David Yaccarino (R, 87), Vin Candelora (R, 86), and Joe Zullo (R, 99) served as guest panelists Monday night at a “Tolls Informational Forum” at North Haven High School in which panelists and hosts presented the GOP alternative to tolling called “Prioritize Progress,” which secures $65 billion dollars for transportation projects over the next 30 years without relying on tolls or tax increases.

The forum, which was hosted by House and Senate Republican ranking members of the Transportation Committee, State Rep. Laura Devlin and Senator Henri Martin, was the seventeenth such forum since the start of the legislative session.

In explaining the plan, which re-prioritizes funding from pet projects and other quasi-wants to fund infrastructure improvements, lawmakers noted that the plan operates within Connecticut’s new bond cap, borrowing no more than allowed under the cap. Last year, the bipartisan budget lawmakers placed a cap on state bonding.

The full plan can be viewed at www.cthousegop.com/prioritize.

The majority of residents in attendance expressed their opposition to tolls.

“The governor and Democratic leaders are saying that tolls are the only way to fund our State’s transportation needs – this is false,” said Rep. Zullo. ” Our proposal doesn’t call for tolls and allocates generous and necessary funding for transportation while still living within our state’s current fiscal means.”

“The current toll proposals,” Zullo added, “call for fifty plus tolls on every major highway in Connecticut and give unfettered discretion to DOT bureaucrats to increase rates and the number of gantries in the future.”

“Make no mistake, tolls are another tax on our residents. They’re a money grab and they will hurt working class families. Connecticut residents need to continue to speak out against tolls and contact their lawmakers to tell them to support our alternative to tolls.”