The idea of charging drivers entering the state of Massachusetts tolls has angered some Americans, including local politicians.
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, 49, was among those who spoke, after Bay State Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt floated the idea last week.
The Republican criticized the possible guidance as “yet another way to unnecessarily take [citizens’] money,” this time by taxing them at the state border.
The yet-to-be-drafted bill would affect travelers on highways, railroads and local transit systems, Tibbits-Nutt said, and would be in effect throughout Massachusetts.
The concept has since drawn criticism from conservatives like Sununu, who spoke out in a statement Friday.
Bay State Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt floated the idea last week during an April 10 advocacy meeting.
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, 49, was among those who spoke and issued a statement Friday.
“It seems like Massachusetts has found another way to take money away unnecessarily,” said Sununu, a Republican. he told the Boston Herald.
“All the more reason for more Massachusetts residents to move permanently to New Hampshire,”
The Granite State governor added, “The Live Free or Die state remains the place to be.”
Other local conservatives also spoke out about Tibbits-Nutt’s comments at the April 10 defense meeting, which included some not-so-kind words about van drivers,
“We can’t price them high enough or impose enough fees on them… that will stop the type of person who wants to buy that car,” the state worker said, after being asked if there is anything her department can do “to help “. protect residents from their emissions or discourage people from buying them.
“I’m 100% judging someone who basically wants to drive an 18-wheeler as their personal car, we have no control over that,” Tibbits-Nut responded.
‘We can not. There is nothing we can do. At least legally, there is nothing we can do about it.
Massachusetts Republican Party Chairwoman Amy Carnevale said Friday that those comments showed the “true nature” of the administration of Gov. Maura Healey, the Democrat who oversees the Bay State.
Tibbits-Nutt’s comments at the April 10 promotional meeting included some not-so-kind words about truck drivers and the emissions their vehicles put out.
“We can’t price them high enough or impose enough fees on them… that will stop the type of person who wants to buy that car,” the state worker said, after being asked if there is anything her department can do “to help “. protect residents from vehicles or discourage people from purchasing them
“I’m 100% judging someone who basically wants to drive an 18-wheeler as their personal car, we have no control over that,” Tibbits-Nut responded. ‘We can not. There is nothing we can do. At least legally, there is nothing we can do about it.
“Already grappling with the burden of unaffordability, the prospect of more tolls, higher taxes on Uber and Lyft rides, Amazon deliveries and payroll taxes only adds to the struggle for Massachusetts residents,” he said the conservative, pointing out some of the side effects. of such orientation.
‘No Massachusetts resident wants that. “It is very clear that the Healey-Driscoll administration’s approach to governance is government versus taxpayer,” Carnevale told the Herald.
Meanwhile, Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance spokesman Paul Craney called Tibbits-Nutt’s comments during the recent event “simply reprehensible.”
“Decisions to raise taxes, fees or raise tolls should be made by our elected legislature, not announced by an overzealous, unelected bureaucrat to a special interest advocacy organization,” Craney said in a statement to the newspaper.
“The people he’s villainizing are just regular people trying to go about their daily lives.
“Our federal government should make life easier for people, not more difficult,” he concluded.
When asked Friday about the concept by WMUR-9 New Hampshire host Jonathan Farhadian, he said, “I don’t think I’m in favor of that.”
“I think as far as driving south from New Hampshire to Boston, we already went through the toll crossing the bridge anyway,” he said, as the truck from his roofing business, which would not be exempt from the tax, , was parked. in the background.
Massachusetts Republican Party Chairwoman Amy Carnevale (pictured) said Friday that those comments showed the “true nature” of the administration of Gov. Maura Healey, the Democrat who oversees the Bay State.
Meanwhile, Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance spokesman Paul Craney called Tibbits-Nutt’s comments during the recent event “simply reprehensible.”
When asked Friday about the concept, New Hampshire trucker Jonathan Farhadian said, “I don’t think I’m in favor of that,” “I think, as far as driving south from New Hampshire to Boston, already we go through tolls anyway going over the bridge.’ In the background you can see the truck from his roofing business, which would not be exempt from the tax.
The Transportation Finance Task Force met for the first time in late February and is scheduled to provide a final written report to Governor Healey (pictured) by the end of the year.
If implemented, the law would affect drivers traveling on Interstate 95, Interstate 93 and Route 3, all of which are routes from New Hampshire into Massachusetts.
The secretary of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation said a working group is reflecting on it and is looking at funding options in their early stages.
If implemented, the law would affect drivers traveling on Interstate 95, Interstate 93 and Route 3, all of which are routes from New Hampshire to Massachusetts.
The secretary of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation said a working group is reflecting on it and is looking at funding options in their early stages.
He added that the task force was created specifically to look at new transportation funding initiatives in the famously liberal state, and said it is already exploring charging transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft more when paying tolls, as well as to Amazon. for package deliveries.
The transportation funding force met for the first time in late February, Tibbits-Nutt said, and is scheduled to provide a final written report to Governor Healey by the end of the year.
While speaking about the possible toll last week, Tibbits-Nuttre reiterated how the concept only applies to motorists at the border, not drivers within the state, similar to the congestion tolling guidance recently implemented in New York City. .
‘When I talk about tolls, I’m talking about borders. “I’m not talking like I’m in Massachusetts,” she told viewers.
“I pay the tolls, so it’s one of those… where people say, ‘All you want is tolls.’ I say, ‘I pay the toll.’ “It’s not convenient for me to increase it.”
“But we’re going after all the people who should be giving us money to improve our transportation and our communities.”
It’s not yet clear whether the House and Senate will embrace the concept. They will debate their own budget rewrites over the next two months.