[JayCT]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

I think tolls would be unfair on CT drivers. A gas tax of 60 to 65 cents would be better less hurt on CT residents. Maybe throw in a few bridge tolls.

So you want to keep paying high gas taxes so out of state drivers can use our roads for free??? What is they lowered the gas tax? What if they lowered or eliminated the car tax? These are likely to be part of any proposal for tolls in our state. Jay

[MrGompers]

Originally Posted by JayCT

So you want to keep paying high gas taxes so out of state drivers can use our roads for free??? What is they lowered the gas tax? What if they lowered or eliminated the car tax? These are likely to be part of any proposal for tolls in our state. Jay

The car property taxes are a non sequitur. Those taxes are applied and collected at the local level. No amount of tolls will ever replace this revenue stream for the towns. Towns also are not responsible for fixing or maintaining state highways. Please don't fall for this BS.



STicking to the "lets soak the out of staters" will get more people on board. IMO tolls if implemented will never have any type of surplus. We are just switching collection methods. ie gas tax vs tolls.


I think it would be hilarious though to erect tolls at the entrance to the Indian Casinos. Lots of out of state traffic is coming to these casinos right ?

[ads94]

Originally Posted by MrGompers

STicking to the "lets soak the out of staters" will get more people on board. IMO tolls if implemented will never have any type of surplus. We are just switching collection methods. ie gas tax vs tolls.

I would be happy with implementing tolls to get out of staters to pay on that alone, even if the gas tax wasn't lowered.

If we wanted to keep the STF revenue neutral, I would honestly slap tolls on the freeways (95, 91, 84), get rid of the gas tax, and then also end the diversion of ~350 million from sales tax revenue into the STF. This allows the state to have more money for the General Fund, allows the STF to be funded, and gets the out of state folks to pay.

No matter what way you slice it, I just want tolls.

Originally Posted by MrGompers

I think it would be hilarious though to erect tolls at the entrance to the Indian Casinos. Lots of out of state traffic is coming to these casinos right ?

We would finally get our border tolls!

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by MrGompers

The car property taxes are a non sequitur. Those taxes are applied and collected at the local level. No amount of tolls will ever replace this revenue stream for the towns. Towns also are not responsible for fixing or maintaining state highways. Please don't fall for this BS.



STicking to the "lets soak the out of staters" will get more people on board. IMO tolls if implemented will never have any type of surplus. We are just switching collection methods. ie gas tax vs tolls.


I think it would be hilarious though to erect tolls at the entrance to the Indian Casinos. Lots of out of state traffic is coming to these casinos right ?

It is not BS. There is nothing to say that some money collected by the tolls could not be distributed to the towns in lieu of the car tax. The car tax is only allowed because of state law. If the Legislature wants to, they could easily do away with it. They have already placed a cap on the amount that can be charged for the car tax. It can be eliminated too.

And I am not sure why you think that if tolls are implemented there would not be a surplus. It is likely that a lockbox is going to be placed on the Transportation Fund after the election. It will be a question on the November ballot. That will prevent the Legislature from raiding it to balance the budget. The buying power of the Transportation Fund has dropped dramatically over the past 20 years when gas taxes were last raised. Between inflation and increased fuel efficiency of vehicles, it is easy to see that the gas tax is no longer the best way to generate transportation funding. The choices appear to be either implement tolls, raise the gas tax or cut services and spending and let our transportation system deteriorate further. Jay

[East of the River]

My biggest issue is it's an inefficient tax. It's a tax that requires infrastructure and overhead versus raising it thru already available avenues. A small fraction of the tax will come from out of staters after overhead is paid for.

So this whole discussion goes like this. I could work some over time and put that money away for Christmas. Or I can get a 2nd job and put that money away for Christmas. Commuting to a 2nd job plus time to get the job etc make that option inefficient if the income from overtime would be the same. Now let's say that's the case that you could get the same income either way but the reason you went for the 2nd job was you get a 2nd check you can put in a separate account you won't steal from for other stuff. That's kind of the argument put out there.

Alright so the next argument is what if we get slightly more by working the 2nd job (out of staters) but we then have to keep the 2nd job and keep up with balancing the two. (adding more Bureaucracy and agencies to the state).

So where does that leave this.

Tolls - added tax burden on residents, added bureaucracy, A new annoyance for people that visit our state instead of pass thru (I have an aunt who will not drive in New Jersey because she thinks the tolls are to high).

Sales tax increase with increase devoted to infrastructure. - No added bureaucracy or debt to state. similar revenue (changing to 7% would bring in around 400 million.) little change as states surrounding us have similar rates.

I guess the big question is are the inefficiencies worth it to capture some money from out of state.

To me I'd say no but that's just me.

[RunD1987]

Originally Posted by JayCT

So you want to keep paying high gas taxes so out of state drivers can use our roads for free??? What is they lowered the gas tax? What if they lowered or eliminated the car tax? These are likely to be part of any proposal for tolls in our state. Jay

Car tax cap needs to be done away with. It really had a negative effect on Cities. Need to do away with the car tax.

The most efficient solution is lowering the gas tax to 20 cents and doing away with it in 12 to 15 years. Then adding a 1.2% or less State collected car tax on the highest value motor vehicle a CT resident owns. Drop the sales tax to 4% then 2% in 8 years and 0% in 12 years. Strive towards a flat income rate of 3%. Sales tax exemption on vehicle purchases and clothes.

[RunD1987]

Originally Posted by MrGompers

What are the details of the tax(es) ? Saying yes to taxes doesn't mean much. Is he going to tax people making 30k a year or people making 300k a year ?

IF Lamont is too left for you are actually on the right. Lamont is another DINO just like Malloy and their idol Bill Clinton.

Can't recall. Only remember both mentioning there will be tax hikes possibly due to deficit. Though remember Oz wanting to lower property taxes, lower income tax, lower business tax. All of this not in first round. Also suggested due to deficit may need to tap into rainy day fund due to wanting to lower taxes for businesses to encourage growth.

[JimG2]

All of the Democrats are for tolls until the first billing cycle after they are implemented. Then it's WTF and they have to decide.....Do we cancel our cable account? Do we cancel our cell phones? Do we go on diets and not eat out anymore?

[Stepfordct]

What was the last estimate for installing tolls?
What percent of collections is lost to the admin/maint of the system.
If that number is much greater than a single digit it might not be worth it.
I recall the old school toll systems had like an 8 to 11 yr break even.
These should be much less. But then the govt is involved so....

[JayCT]

Tolls have been a more than adequate source of transportation revenue for centuries and every state along the east coast have them. Also many Midwest and West coast states have them. If they cost more than they take in, they would not be so popular. And the costs to implement open road tolls would be less than building and maintaining toll plazas which those states have. One of the most expensive parts of implementing tolls is the communication network needed for the open road toll system. Connecticut already has much of that network established for their incident management system. There is no way we will take in less money than it would cost to build the system needed. Jay