Forum on Highway Tolls

On Thursday March, 26, the Ranking Members of the Legislature’s Transportation Committee, State Representative David Scribner, R-107, and State Senator Toni Boucher, R-26, will host an informational forum on highway tolls and their potential impact on the greater Danbury area. The event will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom North at the Westside Campus of Western Connecticut State University, Danbury.

The state is currently facing a projected deficit of more than $8 billion for the next two fiscal years. Bringing back highway tolls has been suggested as one way to generate new revenue for the state. Connecticut removed all highway tolls in the mid-1980s.

The forum will feature a presentation on tolls. Forum panelists include: Representatives from the Department of Transportation (DOT), State Transportation Safety Board Chairman Kevin Kelleher and State Representative Tony Guerrera, D-29, who serves as House Chairman of the Legislature’s Transportation Committee, will participate in the forum.

Area Republican and Democrat legislators have also been invited to attend.

“The forum will provide a non-partisan educational opportunity for people in greater Danbury to learn about the impact of border tolls and their various implementation methods and an opportunity to voice their opinions on the reimplementation that is currently being considered a revenue source, said Rep. Scribner. “It is not in any way a means to endorse or promote tolls.”

“Although the constituents of my district and I are a very hard sell on the issue of re-establishing tolls in Connecticut, it is important for the public to learn of the various proposals being considered and to provide their input during this period of analysis and deliberation,” said Sen. Boucher. “We are a small and dense state. Many of our residents work and travel between New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island and could be negatively impacted by tolls. Any new costs that are added to working and living in Connecticut should very carefully considered before any decision is made on this controversial proposal.”