Critics praise Lamont’s transportation plan — except the tolls

Excerpt from Middletown Press.

Lamont, asked whether there were any Republican supporters, quipped that he’s not sure the plan has any supporters at all — but that the state needs to make it happen.

Joe Sculley, president of the Motor Transport Association of CT which represents Connecticut-based trucking companies, also expressed skepticism that any toll would go away once put in place.

“There is nothing in federal law which requires bridge tolls to be removed after the project cost is paid off,” Sculley said. “Accordingly, it is hard to see how the State of Connecticut would enter into a contract with the federal government that would make the bridge tolls temporary. Because of that, the end result is that Connecticut will be left with an inefficient, self-raising tax in the form of tolls, with no chance of going back.”

But Even House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, who has been one of the most outspoken critics of Lamont’s original plan, said she believes there is common ground to be found in CT2030.

See the complete article from the Middletown Press online.