HARTFORD -- Law makers are, once again, considering various bills at the Legislative Office Building that would bring back tolls to Connecticut.
Advocates say new technologies in electronic tolls make this the right time to reap the benefits from tolls without the hassles of toll plazas and traffic tie-ups.
The state of Massachusetts has recently done away with toll lanes and plazas and gone to an electronic system that works by car transponder (like an EZ Pass), those without the transponders get billed after cameras capture their license number.
"No more stopping on the highways, you drive right through" said Rep. Tony Guerrera, (D-Rocky Hill) who is in favor of bringing tolls back to Connecticut. "Right now our special transportation fund, which is solely a gas tax, is diminishing and this is one way we can gain revenues from out of staters," Guerrera said.
Wilton and Westport Republican State Senator Toni Boucher is against any tolls coming to Connecticut. "It's another tax on Connecticut residents who are already taxed too much and have had enough." Boucher added, "as long as I'm here, I will be opposing it strongly."
There are expected to be more hearings on toll legislation in the weeks to come.