[JGBigGreen]

Doesn't Lamont's plan call for using toll revenue on rail and other mass transit projects? The 51.3 percent who support toll's with a lockbox indicated their support with revenue being restricted to roads, bridges and highways. It would be interesting to see if that number would change if tolls moneys will be used for mass transit projects.

Originally Posted by JayCT

I hope people can read this. According to the latest Hartford Courant/Sacred Heart University poll 58.8 percent of those polled are opposed to tolls. However if a lockbox on the toll revenue is in place, 51.3 percent support tolls. That says a lot since no one wants to pay more than they have to, yet still there is support for tolls. Sounds like people understand the need for more money for transportation. Jay

https://www.courant.com/politics/hc-...yjq-story.html

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by JGBigGreen

Doesn't Lamont's plan call for using toll revenue on rail and other mass transit projects? The 51.3 percent who support toll's with a lockbox indicated their support with revenue being restricted to roads, bridges and highways. It would be interesting to see if that number would change if tolls moneys will be used for mass transit projects.

That’s not what the article says. It says that the 51.3% support tolls if the money goes into the Special Transportation Fund and a lockbox assures it is used for “transportation purposes”. Jay

[JimG2]

My household cannot afford $1000-$2000 per year in extra expense for tolls. Probably goes the same for the 58% who say no tolls. The ones in favor probably don't go on the interstates much.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by troutman85

This seems like scare tactics to me. But let’s assume you are correct and bridges are near failure. We need to ask some serious questions such as:

We are one of the highest taxed states in the country and have both a gas and gross receipts tax. Why is this state unable to maintain our roads while other states can?

If the state has been unable to responsibly use the large amounts of tax revenue generated then why in the world would we give them more?

My solution: cut spending or do nothing. If this truly is a crisis, which I don’t buy for one second, then let the democratic legislature that has been in control for decades explain how this has happened.

In my opinion tolls are just a shell game. The state has been mismanaged for decades and is now insolvent.

You do realize that the gas tax has not been raised in over 20 years and that a lot of other states have raised their gas taxes to raise more money for transportation funding? You also realize that revenue from the gas tax has been flat for years now and is projected to go down over the next 20 years as cars become more fuel efficient and shift to alternative energy sources. Do you think a dollar today buys the same as it did 20 years ago? Doing nothing or even more ridiculously cutting spending would be disastrous. You can deny it all you want but that does not change the facts. Jay

[troutman85]

Originally Posted by JayCT

You do realize that the gas tax has not been raised in over 20 years and that a lot of other states have raised their gas taxes to raise more money for transportation funding? You also realize that revenue from the gas tax has been flat for years now and is projected to go down over the next 20 years as cars become more fuel efficient and shift to alternative energy sources. Do you think a dollar today buys the same as it did 20 years ago? Doing nothing or even more ridiculously cutting spending would be disastrous. You can deny it all you want but that does not change the facts. Jay

The gas tax has had no business being raised, take a look the link below. 10 years ago we were among the highest in the nation. We are still above average now, but other states have caught up as inflation goes up. I don’t think anyone has an issue with increasing funding to match inflation, many do have an issue with increasing taxes by hundreds of millions of dollars in the form of tolls. Let me ask, if it’s simply money being the issue then why was our infrastructure not modernized a decade ago when our gas taxes were the highest in the nation?

My wife and I are among the demographics the state is looking to attract and retain, early 30s white collar professionals. I can tell you that the idea of increasing our expenses by several thousand a year for tolls is not appealing, nor with anyone else in my age group that I’ve spoken with. Connecticut already has a real problem with being viewed as expensive and adverse to business, tolls will not help.



https://www.google.com/amp/s/ctmirro...e-average/amp/

[JGBigGreen]

The article is referring to the Sacred Heart poll. The exact question from the poll is :

“Q: In 2018, Connecticut voters passed a referendum that ensured transportation funds will be put in a “lockbox” and only spent on transportation infrastructure improvements. If it could be guaranteed that funds would go into a transportation lockbox only to be spent on roads, bridges, and highways; please tell me how strongly you support or oppose “e- tolling” in Connecticut.”

Originally Posted by JayCT

That’s not what the article says. It says that the 51.3% support tolls if the money goes into the Special Transportation Fund and a lockbox assures it is used for “transportation purposes”. Jay

[Henry10]

Originally Posted by JayCT

You do realize that the gas tax has not been raised in over 20 years and that a lot of other states have raised their gas taxes to raise more money for transportation funding?

Jay -- You keep repeating this, but this makes no sense. Then why are CT gas prices still the same or higher than its neighbors?

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by JayCT

I hope people can read this. According to the latest Hartford Courant/Sacred Heart University poll 58.8 percent of those polled are opposed to tolls. However if a lockbox on the toll revenue is in place, 51.3 percent support tolls. That says a lot since no one wants to pay more than they have to, yet still there is support for tolls. Sounds like people understand the need for more money for transportation. Jay

https://www.courant.com/politics/hc-...yjq-story.html

I don’t trust any poll that interviewed just 1,000 people in a state of almost 4 million.

[JP Nutmegger]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

I don’t trust any poll that interviewed just 1,000 people in a state of almost 4 million.

Considering 100,000 people signed the No Tolls petition, that is a pretty strong statement against tolls. A Democrat representative whose district encompasses part of my town even came out against tolls today.

[Reilly1017]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

I don’t trust any poll that interviewed just 1,000 people in a state of almost 4 million.

You don’t have to trust it, but statistics/math is used in polling and while there is a percentage error, it’s probably pretty accurate representation