Massachusetts looks to tolls on border crossings
3:43 PM Fri, Jan 23, 2009 | Permalink
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BOSTON (AP) -- Massachusetts Governor Patrick's administration has asked federal officials about the possibility of erecting toll booths on major border crossings into Massachusetts from New Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode Island, the governor said today. In November, a Rhode Island study commission made a similar recommendation. In addition to tolls at the border, the Rhode Island plan also included an annual mileage tax. They would join existing toll booths on the Massachusetts Turnpike near the New York and Connecticut borders. The governor told a statewide public radio audience that federal officials had signaled a willingness to consider the idea. They must approve it because Interstate 93, Route 3 and other roads are part of the federal highway system. Patrick said, "If we did that right, it would be possible -- possible -- to remove all of the tolls inside the Commonwealth," except for the tunnels leading to and from Logan International Airport. New York and New Hampshire already toll people coming from Massachusetts. Massachusetts is considering returning the favor as it seeks to cope with Big Dig debt and other transportation funding priorities. 
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I can hear the merchants on Rt 6 Seekonk now: NOOOOOOOOO! (Since half of the cars out there have RI plates at any given time.)
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Great. So when RI follows suit, I'll be tolled leaving RI, entering MA, and then again in reverse when I go home. Lovely.
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Annual mileage tax on my car? What's next are you going to tax me for the miles I walk too? Why doesn't our State government practice fiscal responsibility? Time to cut the PORK DON JUAN!
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I'm sure that Rhode Island retailers are jumping for joy. It will help to keep shoppers here from popping into Mass to do their shopping. Oh that's right, nobody here has any money anymore to go shopping. Well, then, the retailers may not be so happy if it dissuades Mass shoppers, who do still have money, from coming here.
Heck, why doesn't everybody just stay home where they are anyway, and gripe about missing those halcyon days of yore when the champagne flowed.
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back roads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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The idea sounds simple, how we we soak citizens of our neighboring states for money. The end results will be one state upping the ante on the other. Massachusetts will put in tolls to soak Rhode Island. Rhode Island will put in larger tolls to soak Massachusetts. Let the toll wars begin.
From an economics prespective, this is a bad idea. It puts the damper the interstate economy. In the end the states will not generate more revenue and the people will lose.
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