SMALL BUSINESS TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY: SLOW DOWN TOLL EXPRESS
PROVIDENCE (June 23, 2015): Rhode Island’s largest small
business advocacy group, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)
has called on the House to slow down the “toll express” in the General Assembly
and revisit the issue towards the end of the year as part of a comprehensive
sustainable transportation funding plan that will allow everyone to pay their
fair share and encourage economic growth and opportunity.
“Small businesses are dependent on a transportation
infrastructure that is reliable and efficient so that they may perform their
day to day operations. Certainly Rhode Island’s roads and bridges are in need
of repairs however thanks to the glaring lack of specifics regarding this toll plan,
small businesses are left with concerns over the details.” According to NFIB
Rhode Island State Director Bill Vernon, “Until some of these questions are
answered, it will be difficult for the small business community to have
confidence that tolls are the right policy choice for Rhode Island’s economic
future.”
Due to the last minute nature of the toll proposal, one of
the questions that has yet to be answered involves the potential impact that
tolls may have on the cost of goods that small business owners depend on to
operate their businesses. Unfortunately this $600 million plan was not even discussed
in connection with the Governor’s budget proposal nor with last month’s House
and Senate versions of the state FY16 spending plan.
“Last year the state increased the gas tax and tied it to
inflation to fund roads and bridges which means another increase is looming,
effective July 1, despite the declining utility and equity of the gas tax. Now
the new tolls are proposed to fund the same things the gas tax was supposed to
cover. This haphazard policymaking must come to an end. Like small businesses,
Rhode Island must begin to plan for the future by putting everything on the table
and determine the most effective funding system for our transportation system,”
Concluded Vernon.
