Democratic plan scraps cars and proposes truck-only tolls

Excerpt from Hartford Courant article. The state’s leading trucking association was strongly opposed to Tuesday’s compromise — as well as previous tolling plans. “As the trucking industry already pays the diesel tax, the petroleum gross receipts tax, and vehicle registration fees, tolls would be a fourth tax for the privilege of using what we have…

tolls

Excerpt from Hartford Courant article.

The state’s leading trucking association was strongly opposed to Tuesday’s compromise — as well as previous tolling plans.

“As the trucking industry already pays the diesel tax, the petroleum gross receipts tax, and vehicle registration fees, tolls would be a fourth tax for the privilege of using what we have already paid for,” said Joe Sculley, leader and chief lobbyist for the Motor Transport Association of Connecticut.

He added, “Needless to say, we’re still opposed when they’re talking about tolling just us.”

Sculley and the Yankee Institute both rejected Ritter’s assertion that the legal cloud has been removed regarding truck-only tolls, which are the subject of a lawsuit by the trucking industry in Rhode Island.

“That’s exactly what we’re suing about in Rhode Island,” Sculley said in an interview. “The 80% number [regarding road damage] is made up. There are no facts there. There’s no number.”

Instead of tolls, Sculley says Connecticut needs to spend its current resources more wisely on transportation projects.

Including diesel taxes and registration fees, the average 18-wheel truck pays $17,000 annually in state and federal road taxes in Connecticut, Sculley said. Industrywide, the Connecticut trucking industry pays $280 million per year in state and federal taxes, he said.

Overall, the trucks pay 32% of the road taxes, even though they account for 5% of the vehicle miles traveled, Sculley said.

See the complete article from the Hartford Courant online.

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