[JP Nutmegger]

Originally Posted by JayCT

You seem to have a lot of outdated information. First Vermont is not on the east coast. It is inland. That said MANY inland states also have tolls.

Rhode Island had tolls on other bridges for many years before they were stopped in recent years when they realized many were not paying for themselves. The Mount Hope Bridge had tolls until 1998. The Jamestown Bridge had tolls until 1969 when the Newport Bridge (now called the Pell Bridge) was opened and started tolling drivers. Tolls were also collected on the Sakonet River Bridge and on several highways around the state. Most importantly, Rhode Island has now started collecting tolls on trucks using their highways across the state so, yes Rhode Island highways have tolls.

The Federal Highway Administration has already said they would allow tolls on Connecticut highways without significant impacts to federal money. They recognize the need for additional funding and that the gas tax is no longer a sustainable source of revenue. This is now their policy across the country. Several years ago they specifically approved tolls on I-95 from New Haven to New York and on I-84 west of Hartford so federal funding loss is pretty much a non-issue. FHWA has however said they would not allow border tolls. They would only support a uniform tolling system across the state. That is why CTDOT is not proposing them.

The point is that if Connecticut wants to make serious improvements to their roads and transportation system, more money is going to be needed. Where that money comes from is the question. Many other states (27 to be exact) have raised their gas taxes to increase revenue. If tolls are implemented, Connecticut residents could pay a reduced rate and/or a reduction could be made to the gas tax or the vehicle tax. This is what would have to be worked out. That can't happen until a decision is made that tolls are a viable option. Without more money our roads will continue to deteriorate and congestion only get worse. Jay

There is a lot of cost cutting that can be performed instead of raising taxes. Start with the DMV. When I took my mother to the DMV to renew her license, there was one window open, and 6 other people just standing around. Cutting staff and moving most services online would save the state millions. Then you have people playing the system for boosting their pensions by working triple overtime their last 6 quarters of work to get a higher base, or 5 people that go on a trip in one vehicle together, and each claims the mileage for reimbursement. The problem is money for transportation has been raided by the general fund and used for various porkbarrel projects like hundreds of thousands of dollars to research frivolous things, or $10 million to renovate a stadium for soccer when we already have a stadium not even 5 miles away that we spent $91 million (almost $125 million if adjusted for inflation) to build, is used 20 days a year, and would be a viable alternative. And why do we need to borrow $10 million to study tolls when we have so much data already? We spent $600 million on a busway that few people use, yet we continue to run buses every 10 minutes, even if the buses are totally empty. The state needs a full audit and we need to find those places where the coffers are leaking like Niagara Falls. As for the lockbox provision: the idea is good. However, the bill is flawed with too many loopholes where it could be raided for other purposes. If there were an airtight bill without loopholes, then sure, I'd fully support it.

I used Vermont as an example because it is New England, and is generally thought of as a state on the east coast, despite an actual coastline (much like Pennsylvania, which even has its own section of the Main Street of the East Coast aka I-95). Sure Florida is east coast, but it also has a section in the Central Time Zone.

And once a tax is implemented, eliminating it is virtually impossible. You open the door to something, and there's no closing it. Look at the state income tax. Many failed attempts to eliminate it. Bob is promising to eliminate it, but I understand it won't be overnight, and if the legislature remains under control of the Democrats, it will never get the votes to pass. You pass tolls, even for trucks, and the footprint is there to put them on all vehicles. No government has ever taxed its way to prosperity.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by JP Nutmegger

There is a lot of cost cutting that can be performed instead of raising taxes. Start with the DMV. When I took my mother to the DMV to renew her license, there was one window open, and 6 other people just standing around. Cutting staff and moving most services online would save the state millions. Then you have people playing the system for boosting their pensions by working triple overtime their last 6 quarters of work to get a higher base, or 5 people that go on a trip in one vehicle together, and each claims the mileage for reimbursement. The problem is money for transportation has been raided by the general fund and used for various porkbarrel projects like hundreds of thousands of dollars to research frivolous things, or $10 million to renovate a stadium for soccer when we already have a stadium not even 5 miles away that we spent $91 million (almost $125 million if adjusted for inflation) to build, is used 20 days a year, and would be a viable alternative. And why do we need to borrow $10 million to study tolls when we have so much data already? We spent $600 million on a busway that few people use, yet we continue to run buses every 10 minutes, even if the buses are totally empty. The state needs a full audit and we need to find those places where the coffers are leaking like Niagara Falls. As for the lockbox provision: the idea is good. However, the bill is flawed with too many loopholes where it could be raided for other purposes. If there were an airtight bill without loopholes, then sure, I'd fully support it.

I used Vermont as an example because it is New England, and is generally thought of as a state on the east coast, despite an actual coastline (much like Pennsylvania, which even has its own section of the Main Street of the East Coast aka I-95). Sure Florida is east coast, but it also has a section in the Central Time Zone.

And once a tax is implemented, eliminating it is virtually impossible. You open the door to something, and there's no closing it. Look at the state income tax. Many failed attempts to eliminate it. Bob is promising to eliminate it, but I understand it won't be overnight, and if the legislature remains under control of the Democrats, it will never get the votes to pass. You pass tolls, even for trucks, and the footprint is there to put them on all vehicles. No government has ever taxed its way to prosperity.

You seem to be missing the point and to be confusing issues. I am not sure what the DMV has to do with funding for transportation. They are two separate agencies (CTD?OT and CTDMV) that serve two separate purposes. The soccer and football stadiums have nothing to do with transportation either. Again this has nothing to do with transportation funding.

You also seem to be confused about the facts. IT is almost as if you just reading the misinformation that Joe Markley likes to spout to pander to supporters instead of actually looking at the facts.

Ridership on CTfastrak (the busway) has exceeded all projections and is being used by thousands of riders each day. The state did spend $570 million to build the busway but much of that ($457 million) came from federal money that if turned down would have gone to another state. The busway was a project that was conceived under John Rowland's administration; planned, designed and funded under Jodi Rell and only built by Malloy with construction starting within months of him taking office. There were MULTIPLE meetings held on the project over the years and many opportunities for opposition to speak against it. There was little until construction was ready to begin. Despite what anyone (including Mr. Markley) thinks or says, there was no way any of that federal money could have been used for anything else. The money came from the Federal Transit Agency. Highways are funded through the Federal Highway Administration. They are two completely separate agencies under the US Department of Transportation and money is NOT transferable between them. Anyone who says otherwise does not know what they are talking about.

If you bother to look closer at how transportation systems run, you would understand why there are empty buses run during off hours. For a system to be successful it has to accommodate riders during peak hours. The only way to do that is to run multiple buses during those times. That means there are more buses still around during off hours. It costs little to nothing to run them and they can't just park on the streets of downtown Hartford waiting for the afternoon rush. They have to go somewhere and that is why they are running out of the city empty. Kind of simple actually.

As for the lockbox, the opponents to it seem to be using questionable reasoning in their opposition. This is the first time voters will be asked if a lock should be placed on transportation money. If you truly support that why would anyone even question voting for it? Can't the law be strengthened once it is in place? It is kind of convoluted to think that just because it is not exactly the way you want it, the whole idea should be dropped. Makes me wonder the true reason behind their opposition.

Vermont is primarily a rural state. It has few large cities and its highway are really outside of any urban areas. You can't really compare it to Connecticut since they have very different transportation issues. And again it is not on the east coast. Florida is and it has tolls and a lot of them. Pennsylvania has both tolls and highest gas tax in the country.

Pretty much everyone with any knowledge has concluded that Stefanowski's plan to eliminate the income tax is impossible. How do you eliminate over half your revenue without impacting many things we take for granted or have obligations for no matter what. Can you survive if half your income is taken away? Even he is backstepping on it with a lot of new conditions that need to happen for it to be eliminated. Again makes me question if he is just pandering to get votes. Jay

[MrGompers]

We're upset about the busway again ? Do you want to shut it down ?


It's amazing what people believe.


When I read that rant my first thought was "Joe Markely joined city data"?

[MikefromCT]

Originally Posted by Stylo

I’m not excited by Lamont, but he can’t be worse than Malloy. He seems to have a smidge more business sense, better PR sense, is willing to legalize weed.

Stefanowski? I feel like with him we have no idea what we are going to get.

I really wish Boughton was in the race. I would’ve voted for him in a heartbeat. The state needs a sensible moderate with experience.

You wanna bet? Wait till you see how much he raises taxes, all the while parroting the same line "the middle class have really taken a hit in this state!" Makes as much sense as Trump stuffing his face with McDonald's cheeseburgers in bed every night and then wondering why his pants always feel tight.

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by JP Nutmegger

There is a lot of cost cutting that can be performed instead of raising taxes. Start with the DMV. When I took my mother to the DMV to renew her license, there was one window open, and 6 other people just standing around. .

quite productive for state employees-1 working!

[nep321]

Tomorrow night I will be watching to see Ned Lamont win CT! I am so proud of my home state!!! Also, Andrew Gillum (D) will win here in Florida!!!

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by nep321

Tomorrow night I will be watching to see Ned Lamont win CT! I am so proud of my home state!!! Also, Andrew Gillum (D) will win here in Florida!!!

How are you enjoying your new state?

[JP Nutmegger]

Originally Posted by nep321

Tomorrow night I will be watching to see Ned Lamont win CT! I am so proud of my home state!!! Also, Andrew Gillum (D) will win here in Florida!!!

Which means the taxes that you left CT to get away from will soon be coming down I-95 to catch up with you.

I have not now, nor have I ever been Joe Markley, though I do live in his district.

[RoundTableKnight]

So today is the day we decide if we want an income tax raise and a cut to the property tax or an income tax cut and a property tax raise. We're gonna pay either way folks , let's see which tax wins today.

[ads94]

Voted mixed Row A and Row C. Voted for Thad Gray for treasurer. Wooden is just a bridge too far imo.