Letter: Tolls Are A Barrier To Economic Growth
Sen. Walter Felag writes a letter to the editor.
To the editor:
As another legislative session ends, the General Assembly erred in their vote to implement tolls on the Sakonnet River Bridge, which will probably be erected late next summer, 2013. I voted for a floor amendment to eliminate this budget article from the budget and against the final FY13 budget which included the Sakonnet River bridge toll.
For the past 14 years as your State Senator, I have fought diligently against tolls on the Mt Hope and Sakonnet River Bridge. Unfortunately, our local East Bay Representatives and Senators were outnumbered.
In my speech on the Senate floor last night, I spoke about this unfair tax on my Tiverton constituents, who go over the bridge for work, appointments and family obligations. This toll is a barrier for all East Bay residents. Make no mistake; this is a tax on the East Bay residents. The East Bay residents pay enough taxes without a toll on the Sakonnet River Bridge. This burden should be shared with all residents of RI. Thank you to all who e-mailed or called regarding your objections.
Residents will be taxed at additional $50 to $60 because they will need an E-Zpass transponder to stay in RI ($20.95 interior or $33.04 exterior) plus maintain a $25 minimum prepaid toll amount.
RIDOT has not even initiated or completed an economic impact statement on how this toll will affect businesses in RI. We are putting the cart before the horse. How will this affect tourism in Newport and East Bay businesses? What is the traffic impact through Bristol/ Warren Route 136 for those individuals avoiding the tolls?
This toll idea needs a through comprehensive economic impact study before implementation and the governor should eliminate this toll.
Walter S. Felag, Jr.
RI State Senator, District 10
Tiverton, Warren & Bristol
Shana Gaines
2:19 pm on Thursday, June 14, 2012
Finally someone who makes sense. What are these people thinking? I own a small business in Newport. Two of my employees are from Tiverton. They will both have an incurred expense just to get back and forth to work. I have had many customers who come for day trips or to have lunch who tell me those days will definitely end as they will go elsewhere. We already have one of the highest tolls in the entire country over the Pell Bridge. Newport is only so big and we just can't take all that is being thrown at us. Let's keep up the fight!!
Matt Borges
2:49 pm on Monday, June 18, 2012
Yeah they need to do a study. Its ridiculous. They screw up and just say oh we can just raise taxes or put up a new toll. The island needs to consolidate its town municipalities into one. Take the money that is saved and make everything solar or green in whatever way. and not use it to add police or fire or anything like that. Reinvest in our land and youth