TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE HOLDS AREA FORUM ON HIGHWAY TOLLS

On Thursday, March 26, more than 30 area residents attended an informational forum on highway tolls at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury hosted by the leaders of the Legislature’s Transportation Committee, ranking members Rep. David Scribner R-107, Sen. Toni Boucher R-26 and State Rep. Tony Guerrera, D-29, who serves as House Chairman of the committee. State Rep. Janice Giegler, R-138, who serves as a member of the committee attended along with other state elected and appointed officials.The event was not designed to promote tolls, but rather serve as an opportunity for residents to hear details of possible highway toll proposals and for officials to receive local input on such proposals. New Fairfield resident Phyllis D’Ettore was one of several residents who spoke in opposition to tolls during the forum. Rep. Giegler, who is opposed to the reinstitution of tolls said, “I enjoyed hearing from my many constituents on tolls. There is great passion on the issue from the residents in the Greater Danbury area. Our residents overwhelmingly oppose the idea of bringing back tolls due to the traffic effect those avoiding the tolls would have on our local roads.”

“One of the options discussed was border tolls and as the State Representative for a district on the border, the evidence is clear our district would be adversely affected by tolls,” added Giegler. State Rep. Mary Ann Carson, R-108, said she is glad the committee held the forum in one of the state’s border locations, rather than an interior site, because of the direct impact tolls would have on the community.

“In our area, many people use Interstate 84 like a local road, as the quickest way to get from Point A to Point B and typically only travel it for an exit or two,” said Rep. Carson. “Placing tolls on the I-84 corridor would cause drivers to avoid the highway and the impact on smaller roads and businesses would be devastating. I encourage people to contact members of the Transportation Committee and Governor Rell’s office with their thoughts and concerns on tolls because this is truly the type of policy that would affect the every-day quality of life in our region.”