[JayCT]

Originally Posted by MrGompers

People here keep bringing up the vehicle tax. That tax is collected by the cities and towns and is not used for the interstate or state highways. The tax can be used to fix local city or town roads, but I wouldn't know how much is used for that purpose.


I think if you want to point out the negatives of tolls or point out what other taxes can be reduced vehicle property tax is not one of them. Towns and cities are never going to give up that revenue.


Lowering the gas tax or lowering registration fees have a much better chance of being reduced IMO and time is better spent on those.

The vehicle tax is allowed under state law. That law could be changed. There is nothing to say that some of the money brought in from tolls could not be directed to the towns in lieu of the vehicle tax. It is certainly an option. Jay

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by synchem

https://reason.org/policy-study/21st...ighway-report/

This site ranks states as cost effectiveness (not spending per mile) We are similar rank to NJ, MA, NY, RI for overall per mile spending. Much worse than NH, VT, and ME. But they do call out CT as the 2nd worst for administration costs behind Hawaii. Whereas Texas has $4000 per mile administrative cost and Kentucky at about $1000.

Uhh... did you ever consider that states like New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine are a lot more rural and do not have large cities like the other states? It costs a LOT more to maintain and rebuild urban roads than rural roads. Rural roads do not get the wear and tear that urban roads do. If you look at this list, it also does not take this into account or the differences in cost of living. This is why urban states in the northeast cost more. Can't change that and does not mean the states are not effective at keeping costs low. Jay

[BeyondtheHorizon]

So instead of repeatedly arguing about who's right about tolls on a message board with random strangers which is an exercise in futility, now that money has put aside for study, what is the bottom line?

Are we likely to get tolls or not?

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by BeyondtheHorizon

So instead of repeatedly arguing about who's right about tolls on a message board with random strangers which is an exercise in futility, now that money has put aside for study, what is the bottom line?

Are we likely to get tolls or not?

Who knows? The Republicans seem to be completely against them, at least publically. Whether this is a real opposition or just an election year ploy to grab votes is anyone's guess. I can see some of them realizing that there is a lot of money being left on the table by the state not tolling out of state drivers using our roads (it is kind of obvious actually) but who knows if that will happen. Either way they will be reluctant to support tolls since it can be viewed as raising taxes whether it actually is or not. Jay

[OyCrumbler]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Who knows? The Republicans seem to be completely against them, at least publically. Whether this is a real opposition or just an election year ploy to grab votes is anyone's guess. I can see some of them realizing that there is a lot of money being left on the table by the state not tolling out of state drivers using our roads (it is kind of obvious actually) but who knows if that will happen. Either way they will be reluctant to support tolls since it can be viewed as raising taxes whether it actually is or not. Jay

How about passing it with part of the revenue going towards state income tax reduction?

[robr2]

Originally Posted by OyCrumbler

How about passing it with part of the revenue going towards state income tax reduction?

Because under federal law, the money raised by tolls must be spent to repair those roads.

[BPt111]

Why there always delays between Norwalk and Stamford on 95 ? When you get past 17 in Westport all of sudden delays. Exit 27 on 95 to Route 8 in Bridgeport is accident alley with last minute lane switching and no turn signals

[RunD1987]

Originally Posted by robr2

Because under federal law, the money raised by tolls must be spent to repair those roads.

What if tolls are privately owned and State receives 40% of revenue collected from tolls...Could the money collected be used as the State sees?

[Lincolnian]

Originally Posted by synchem

https://reason.org/policy-study/21st...ighway-report/

This site ranks states as cost effectiveness (not spending per mile) We are similar rank to NJ, MA, NY, RI for overall per mile spending. Much worse than NH, VT, and ME. But they do call out CT as the 2nd worst for administration costs behind Hawaii. Whereas Texas has $4000 per mile administrative cost and Kentucky at about $1000.

NH has interstate highways for main travel. They also have a substantial number of unpaved roads where they just grade them a couple of times per year and coat them to reduce dust. I would be curious to see if those low costs of maintenance are factored in along with the paved roads. The roads do not get anywhere near the volume of traffic as seen in CT, MA, NY and RI. This is not comparing apples to apples. Similar situations exist in VT and ME.

[davwve]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

What if tolls are privately owned and State receives 40% of revenue collected from tolls...Could the money collected be used as the State sees?

We already saw what happens when the State raids the Transportation Fund for other obligations.