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Last week, the Committee passed Gov. Ned Lamont’s and two separate committee plans by a vote of 23-13, which includes installing tolls on Interstates 91, 95, 84 and along parts of the Merritt and Wilbur Cross parkways.
The tolls are expected to generate an estimated $800 million in revenue annually. In total, up to 53 potential toll-collecting gantries are expected to be erected, down from the originally proposed 82 gantry model.
However, Deputy House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora, out of North Branford, wrote a letter to legislative leaders on Tuesday, alleging that there was one too many senators on the Transportation Committee, voiding the approval of the bills.
“Given that the Transportation Committee is constituted in violation of our Senate and Joint Rules, I believe any and all actions taken by it are invalid according to Mason’s Manual of Legislative Procedure,” he said. “Because you both have appointing authority for these committees under our rules, I believe it is imperative that this violation be remedied immediately to assure the future validity of any action.”
In response, Democratic Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney issued a statement noting that there have been 10 senators on the Committee for several years.
“Ten state senators serve on the Transportation Committee in the 2019-2020 legislative term. Ten state senators served on the Transportation Committee in the 2017-2018 legislative term,” he stated.
“Furthermore, section 15.1 of Mason’s Manual of Legislative Procedure states that objections in the same vein as Rep. Candelora’s do not impair the validity of a statute. The work of the Transportation Committee stands. We have spoken with the Senate Republicans and we believe the issue is moot.”
Transportation Commissioner Joe Giulietti said that the tolls are a necessary evil to help improve infrastructure statewide.
“Simply put, Connecticut’s aging transportation infrastructure and lack of sustainable, recurring revenue in the Special Transportation Fund has hampered our ability to just maintain a state of good repair, let alone make the investments necessary to move our state’s residents and the economy,” he said. “The lack of funding to maintain our infrastructure leads to major capital costs and the need to entirely revamp systems, which is not strategically smart of a financial best practice.
This is a developing story. Check Daily Voice for updates.
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