Dunn Ignores Republicans’ Plea to Stop Tolls

Nearly two weeks after writing to First Selectman Steve Dunn, Loretta Donovan, Chairperson of the Brookfield Republican Town Committee is still waiting for a reply. “A resolution against tolls was passed by the BRTC at its April meeting,” she explains. “Our members include a broad range of Brookfield residents who own businesses in our area, work in surrounding cities and counties, use the services of retailers, visit physician offices and healthcare providers, and attend local colleges. All of them will be impacted financially on a regular basis if Governor Lamont adds the burden of tolls to commuting on Route 84”, Donovan continues.

The Brookfield Republican Town Committee believes that tolling Connecticut’s highways is a regressive tax that will increase the cost of living in Connecticut, not only by tolling commuters, but by increasing the bottom line for delivering goods to stores and customers.

· Local business owners will incur tolls as they travel to meet clients, and deliver goods and services. Their suppliers will be tolled as they deliver inventory as well. Ultimately, our Brookfield voters will pay increased costs as they trickle down to them at our supermarkets, home furnishings stores, local retailers, restaurants and big box stores.

· For those already burdened by the expense of medical care by area physicians and outpatient facilities, tolls will be an unwelcome additional cost.

· The added cost of tolls will be the difference between another course this year or a few textbooks, neither which are indulgences for Western Connecticut State University students working towards completing a degree.

Despite these tangible impacts that could affect the community, the Brookfield Republican Town Committee continues to wait for a response from Steve Dunn. Perhaps he favors adding to the tax burden of Brookfield voters?