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May 21, 2019

CBIA opposes tolls on CT highways

toll Photo | Contributed An electronic tolling gantry.
By Joe Cooper

Connecticut’s largest business lobby, which has been silent this year on whether it will support implementing highway tolls, announced Monday it does not support tolling as a mechanism to fund major infrastructure investments.

The Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA) ended months of speculation Monday announcing it “cannot support highway tolls” as a revenue driver to pay for the state’s lack of infrastructure investment in recent decades. 

CBIA’s declaration comes with just over two weeks left in this year’s legislative session, ending June 5.

“The state's chronic short-and long-term fiscal problems outweigh any of the other factors inhibiting economic and job growth in Connecticut,” CBIA’s board of directors said in a statement. “At this time of fiscal instability due to high state spending and fixed costs, we cannot support highway tolls.”

The business lobby said there is “general agreement” among its 50-member board that user fees -- which could include tolls -- are a useful way to fund critical transportation projects. However, CBIA said the state’s fiscal headaches “outweigh any of the other factors inhibiting economic and job growth in Connecticut, including infrastructure funding.”

Photo | Contributed

“These chronic fiscal problems have created a challenging environment for economic growth that is the reality in Connecticut today,” said CBIA, adding there is distrust that transportation funds will not be used for transportation projects, despite the state’s recently approved “lockbox” fund.

For now, CBIA called on lawmakers to fully fund the special transportation fund and to decide how to best use that allocated money to fund key transportation upgrades.

With only 16 days left in the legislative session, Democratic leaders on Monday suggested the potential need for a special session to act on a bill allowing tolls on state highways.  

According to Gov. Ned Lamont’s office, out-of-state cars would generate 40 percent of tolling revenue, which his administration estimates will total $800 million.

If a tolling bill was passed by the General Assembly this year, transportation officials have said the state could begin collecting toll receipts by 2023.

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