Lamont: Time To Hit Pause On Toll Bill

HARTFORD, CT — A visibly frustrated Gov. Ned Lamont conceded Wednesday that at this point it appears that the toll bill is essentially dead for the moment and that the state would have to use bonding money to fix its transportation woes.

“I think it’s time to take a pause,” Lamont said on the toll vote.

The toll plan has changed several times over the past year. It had started as dozens of gantries for all vehicles on major highways. Eventually the number of gantries were reduced and the latest iteration had a small number of gantries that would only toll heavy trucks.

“I’m not pushing it at this point, the ball is in their court,” Lamont said in regards to the state legislature. “...this [Capitol] is a place that specializes in kicking the can down the road.”

A vote on tolls has been in limbo for quite some time. No vote took place during the 2019 legislative session and plans to vote before the start of the 2020 session didn’t come to fruition. Democratic legislative leadership also considered holding simultaneous votes in the House and Senate. Lamont said legislators, particularly in the Senate were worried about a potential 30-hour Republican filibuster.

“Don’t say I can’t make up my mind, I need another week, I need another week, I need another week… I’ve lost patience,” Lamont said.

Lamont said the idea of doing a split or simultaneous vote was “a little weird,” but that he didn’t care because it meant a vote would happen.

The governor also said legislative Republicans should stop saying no and instead put forth their own bill to deal with Connecticut’s transportation woes.

The roadmap ahead will essentially be an iteration of a previous legislative Republican plan called Prioritize Progress, which prioritizes bonding money for transportation projects over other needs. Lamont pledged not to bond more than $1.7 billion and to not take any money from the state’s rainy day fund.

“You can’t just keep adding on debt, that’s what this building has done for 50 years,” Lamont said.

Senate Republicans pitched a plan that would take some money from the rainy day fund in order to pay down state debts and free up money for transportation needs. Lamont said the plan was dangerous and would leave Connecticut vulnerable during a recession.

Lamont said he is still looking for the state to qualify for low-interest federal transportation project loans, but it will be difficult because there won’t be a steady stream of revenue from tolls.