Letter: Why I Am In Firm Opposition to Bridge Tolls
Letter to the editor from Rep. Daniel P. Reilly
Dear Editor, In this past legislative session, there was not a single action taken more harmful to our local economy than the imposition of bridge tolls on the Sakonnet River Bridge in the budget for Fiscal Year 2013, passed on June 8th by a 57-15 vote in the House of Representatives. Without question, I was unequivocally opposed to the concept and had many questions go unanswered. For a proposal with such serious potential impact to my constituents, there was little homework done by the Governor, and, if there was, it was never shared with the Legislature. Before the House Finance Committee I was told by the Department of Transportation that the tolls were needed to relieve pressure off of the DOT, to the tune of possibly $12-15 million. …
Bob S.
10:17 pm on Friday, June 22, 2012
Why don't you let the state use the gas taxes we pay to go towards the bridges that were built with gas-tax supported funds? I love how you people from Jamestown and Newport are convinced that because the ferry was replaced by a bridge that had tolls from the very beginning then all of us have to pay tolls too... more ›