Toll hike in the works
by Hillary Chabot
DNN Reports!
Friday, Feb. 20, 2009
Gov. Deval Patrick’s transportation reform package won’t stave off a vote to hike tolls on the Massachusetts Turnpike - potentially triggering $5.50 tolls in the tunnels as soon as March 29.
Patrick, who promised earlier this week he wouldn’t support both tolls and a gas tax hike, will propose a 19-cent gas tax hike today, according to two published reports this morning. The proposed jump would add 19 cents to the already 23.5-cent-per-gallon gas tax.
“The timing will be very tight to avoid a toll hike at this point,” said Pike board member Mary Connaughton, adding members could include a clause avoiding the hike if lawmakers pass Patrick’s reforms quickly.
In order to avoid a credit rating downgrade, Pike board members will vote on a staggered increase Tuesday that would jack up Allston and Weston tolls by 25 cents and tunnels by $2 on March 29.
Tolls would increase again on July 1 to $7 at the tunnels and $2 at the Allston and Weston booths.“The governor’s plan that will be announced (today), if enacted, will negate the need for the scheduled toll increase,” said an administration source.
Surprised lawmakers accused Patrick of using the upcoming toll hike vote as leverage to jam through his reforms - the timeframe leaves them only five weeks to review Patrick’s plan.
“I’ve tried to give the administration the benefit here, but submitting a bill at the eleventh hour on the eve of a toll vote is the wrong way to go,” said Rep. Joseph Wagner (D-Chicopee), who co-chairs the transportation committee. “There really shouldn’t be an expectation on the part of the administration that we would turn substantial reform legislation around on a dime.”
Patrick’s long-awaited transportation reform would end the practice of providing pensions to MBTA employees after 23 years of service, according to an administration source.
The reform would also force contractors to detail any former lawsuits or unfinished projects in an effort to avoid hiring risky companies, such as when Massport hired Parsons Brinckerhoff to construct a parking lot at Logan International Airport. Patrick has been mulling hiking the gas tax by as much as 29 cents, which would make the Bay State’s gas tax the highest in the country. He also was considering implementing an open road tolling system that would tax cars per mile traveled, and broad consolidation of the transportation departments.
Unlike the others, we tell you what's really happening.
No comments:
Post a Comment