Post by Logan on Mar 14, 2016 17:19:14 GMT -6
HARTFORD — A measure to protect state transportation funds won a narrow victory Monday at a legislative committee, but Republican lawmakers made clear that they will sink it later on unless the wording becomes stronger.
"People have raised the suspicion that this is just a ruse to have the public accept a new revenue scheme," Sen. Toni Boucher, R-Wilton, told her colleagues on the transportation committee.
Several Republicans ultimately voted with Democrats to pass along Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's proposed "transportation lockbox" to the full General Assembly. But they warned that unless legislative leaders toughen up the bill in the coming weeks, they will vote it down if it reaches the House or Senate floor.
The outcome will have a major influence on Malloy's 30-year, $100 billion "Let's Go CT" initiative.
The lockbox measure would let voters decide in November whether to create a constitutional amendment to keep future governors or lawmakers from raiding the Special Transportation Fund. Without that protection in place, it's unlikely that the General Assembly next year would even consider a gas tax increase, tolls or other new ways to pay for Malloy's plan.
Read more: www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-transportation-lockbox-vote-0315-20160314-story.html
"People have raised the suspicion that this is just a ruse to have the public accept a new revenue scheme," Sen. Toni Boucher, R-Wilton, told her colleagues on the transportation committee.
Several Republicans ultimately voted with Democrats to pass along Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's proposed "transportation lockbox" to the full General Assembly. But they warned that unless legislative leaders toughen up the bill in the coming weeks, they will vote it down if it reaches the House or Senate floor.
The outcome will have a major influence on Malloy's 30-year, $100 billion "Let's Go CT" initiative.
The lockbox measure would let voters decide in November whether to create a constitutional amendment to keep future governors or lawmakers from raiding the Special Transportation Fund. Without that protection in place, it's unlikely that the General Assembly next year would even consider a gas tax increase, tolls or other new ways to pay for Malloy's plan.
Read more: www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-transportation-lockbox-vote-0315-20160314-story.html