Petition to Fight Bridge Tolls Goes Online
Wanna sign the petition, but can't do it in person? You can now voice your opinion online.
While several paper petitions circulated around Portsmouth and Tiverton last week (collecting thousands of signatures), there's a new way to protest proposed plans for bridge tolls on the new Sakonnet River Bridge.
Two online petitions have been published on Change.org.
One petition, entitled "Stop Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority" and created by Lena Korovina of Providence, had 79 supporters as of Monday morning and a number of comments, including this one here from Jonathan K. of Cranston:
RI has enough revenue from the gas tax to cover the bridges in the state. RIPTA bus lines should be a self revenue program giving all gas tax to state bridges. RI needs to understand that they must do more with less like most of it's residents have had to with the tax increases and poor economy this state has due to it's horrible business environment.
To view or sign this petition, click here.
Jim Lipe of Tiverton also started a second petition, entitled "Stop the Sakonnet River Bridge and Route 24 Toll." This petition had 15 signatures as of noon Monday.
To view or sign this petition, click here.
Protests against the bridge tolls are gaining momentum on Aquidneck Island and in nearby Tiverton. On Friday, about 100 demonstrators protested in the pouring rain outside Clements' Market against the tolls.
Rally organizer Jeanne Smith told talk show host and former Providence Mayor Buddy Cianci she's collected "thousands of signatures." Smith plans to present her petition to the governor and state legislators.
On Tuesday, the Portsmouth Town Council will also hear a proposal for a resolution, recommended by Councilor Judi Staven. The resolution, according to the agenda, would oppose "the State’s Decision to Place a Toll on the Sakonnet River Bridge and Support for the Petition Drive."
The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Town Hall. The regular meeting was postponed a day due to the V-J holiday.
Joe Sousa.
5:52 am on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Send those emails to Whitehouse Reed and Cicilline
I sent this Email out to our congressional leaders . Send that email now and we have a chance to stop this.
The transfer of the bridges requires Federal approval . We need you to step in to stop this transfer. The Federal Highway Admin. has the application . We need action fast to stop this from happening. This will hurt businesses on and off the island. It's not to late to stop this plan and save our businesses .
Joe Sousa.
William F Horan
9:40 am on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Sen Dipalma et al
The Citizens pay fuel taxes at both the state and Federal level earmarked for the Highway and bridge upkeep etc.. As I stated in a email to you back when you were on the revenue enhancement study group for highway maintenance funding - Among the topics The Rt 24 Aquidneck Island bridge replacement in part due to malfeasance of management in annual maintenance , repair and required replacement. Accordingly the new / replacement bridge design phase and then implementation phase was essentially from those funding sources (as advertised in the legacy construction site signage and several additional documents). Today a bait and switch so called revenue stream enhancement Smith Hill slight of hand. Yes, an accounting fraud performed to transfer the rt 24 Aquidneck Island bridge to a quasi public corporation and perform another plunder of the tax payer and the highway user. Yes, RI co mingles the monies and drains off (socialist wealth redistribution) funds for further expansion of the RI Pseudo Socialist agendas. Especially public works projects has been a source of the welfare industry, bond brokers and unions for all to long. This further exacerbates the terrible environment for business and chases away the talented citizens that we need to attract business. Will you work to undo this latest fraud of the tax paying legal citizens of RI.. Remove the tolls on the rt 24 bridge connecting Aquidneck Island that we have already paid for several times over.
William F Horan
7:47 pm on Thursday, August 16, 2012
The budget passed on a 57-15 vote, and needed fifty votes to pass (2/3 of the House, under the Constitution). If Reilly's eight colleagues from the East Bay (Newport and Bristol Counties) had voted with him and against the budget than the budget, and the tolls, would have failed by one vote.
Who voted FOR bridge tolls (voting FOR the budget):
Rep. Edwards
Rep. Ruggiero
Rep. Gallison
Rep. Martin
Rep. Jackson
Sen. DiPalma
Sen. Paiva-Weed
Sen. Ottiano
REMEMBER THIS AND VOTE THEM OUT!!!!!!