[JayCT]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

The libertarian part of me thinks all roads should be tolled including city and town streets. The progressive part of me thinks the toll rate should be means tested and congestion based. A big chunk of the receipts should be spent on public transportation upgrades. The frugal part of me doesn’t want to ever pay tolls.

Nobody wants to pay tolls and no one wants to pay taxes either but unfortunately money is needed to build and maintain our transportation system. How else can we do that? Jay

[RunD1987]

Question isn't really tolls and taxes...Question is where will the money go that is collected from these tolls and taxes?...Who will fund and maintain these tolls? Will highways be privatized? Will there be an alternative highway that people can use, already in place, people can use outside of a toll highway? Will tolls lessen taxes regulated by the State?

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

Question isn't really tolls and taxes...Question is where will the money go that is collected from these tolls and taxes?...Who will fund and maintain these tolls? Will highways be privatized? Will there be an alternative highway that people can use, already in place, people can use outside of a toll highway? Will tolls lessen taxes regulated by the State?

There will be a question on the November ballot to create a lockbox on the transportation fund to prevent the legislature from raiding it to balance the budget. The tolls will have to be collected by an extension of the Department of Revenue like any other tax. Privatizing a highway has been shown to cost just as much, if not more since there is little incentive to keep costs low and big incentives to make as large a profit as possible. No one knows the scope of the toll proposal since the Republicans have continually refused to address the issue. How can you develop a proposal when there is not discussion of it in the first place? That is what Malloy's $10 million study is set to address. If the Republicans refuse to work with the Democrats on a solution, then this study will offer them alternatives to select from. Jay

[JayCT]

No surprise, the CT Bond Commission approved the $10 million toll study today. Jay

Bond Commission approves $10M for tolling study | HartfordBusiness.com

[BPt111]

Originally Posted by JayCT

No surprise, the CT Bond Commission approved the $10 million toll study today. Jay

Bond Commission approves $10M for tolling study | HartfordBusiness.com

It waste

[East of the River]

Still say tolls are an inefficient way to collect revenue.

[Stepfordct]

So the state bond commision approves another state agency to spend our money. Give the inmates keys, oh wait....wrong thread.
The state already did a study in 2009. Not much has changed other than some tech advancements making systems cheaper i gather. Its not like new highways were built etc...
Malloy is abusing his power. He obviously wants this done, but will be in North Carolina long before this could ever hit the drawing board.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by East of the River

Still say tolls are an inefficient way to collect revenue.

What are more efficient ways? How do we get money from out-of-state drivers who currently use our roads for free? I am sure our leaders would love to know other options. Jay

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by JayCT

What are more efficient ways? How do we get money from out-of-state drivers who currently use our roads for free? I am sure our leaders would love to know other options. Jay

No they don't. The interstate highways are 80% funded with Federal money paid for by the Federal gasoline tax. The Feds pay 100% of I-84 and I-95 in exchange for taking the tolls down. Connecticut receives $147.43 per person in the state in Federal funding. $528.6 million. #1 in the nation. Why should I pay a toll in Connecticut because they don't have their fiscal act together? I'm already paying for it via the Federal gasoline tax on fuel which I pretty much refuse to ever purchase in Connecticut.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

No they don't. The interstate highways are 80% funded with Federal money paid for by the Federal gasoline tax. The Feds pay 100% of I-84 and I-95 in exchange for taking the tolls down. Connecticut receives $147.43 per person in the state in Federal funding. $528.6 million. #1 in the nation. Why should I pay a toll in Connecticut because they don't have their fiscal act together? I'm already paying for it via the Federal gasoline tax on fuel which I pretty much refuse to ever purchase in Connecticut.

Connecticut does NOT get 100% federal funding for I-84 and I-95. I do not know where you got that from. They get 90% of the construction costs for major "eligible" reconstruction work which is not everything so the real amount they receive is more like between 75% and 80%. For repaving and maintenance work they get 75%. This is EXACTLY the same amount that other states get for highway work. The state still has to make up the difference and pay to maintain the roads (snow plowing, sweeping, grass cutting, repairs, etc.) as well. Why shouldn't those that use it (including out of state drivers) pay? I don't want to pay for it but I have no choice. I don't want to pay tolls when I travel the Mass Pike or New York State Thruway or the New Jersey Turnpike but I also have no choice.

Also I am not sure where you get that we receive more in federal money than we give. Connecticut is No. 42 on the list this year of Donor States. We pay the highest amount per capita (over $16,000) and yet we are at or near the bottom of what we get back. Sorry but this just cannot be sustained. Jay

https://wallethub.com/edu/states-mos...vernment/2700/

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...b04e0bc8f3b699