Patrick: No toll hike if Legislature acts on gas tax hike

SALEM – Gov. Deval Patrick Thursday said legislative action on the 19-cent gasoline tax hike at the center of his transportation reform proposal will prevent an already-approved jump in tunnel tolls slated for April
?Ideally, something will be done so tolls won’t go into effect,” he told a Salem Public Library audience. Patrick rejected Salem legislator John Keenan’s public plea to delay the toll hike and give legislators three months to review his reform package. Legislators and Patrick differ on transportation reforms and how they should be tied to toll and tax hikes.
Peabody Rep. Joyce Spiliotis Wednesday called on Patrick’s top transportation officials to initiate reform before tax and gas hikes, prompting Transportation Secretary James Aloisi to tell her reforms and revenue hikes must come at the same time.
Patrick agreed, telling Keenan and his Salem audience the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority needs more money this month or it faces financial problems.
?We are not in the position to do nothing. We are out of time and nearly out of options,” he said.
The two-step toll hike approved by the Turnpike board bumps Boston Harbor tunnel tolls from $3.50 to $7 by July with half the increase coming at the end of this month. Patrick acknowledged the hike is pretty hard on the North Shore where commuters use the tolls on a daily basis.
The Turnpike has stated the toll hikes will be reversed if transportation reforms, including a gas tax hike, are approved. Few North Shore commuters interviewed last month by The Item said they expect the board to keep its word and reverse tolls.
Patrick’s hike boosts the state gas tax to 42.5 cents, making it the highest state gas tax in the nation. He acknowledged his proposal is steep but said it reduces long-term state transportation costs by consolidating four state agencies into one; stablizing the financially troubled Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and paying for railroad, road and bridge improvements.
?This is not easy. There is risk. The impact, even of $8 a month to drivers, is real. But there are real costs associated with not doing anything,” Patrick said.
Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll supports the gas tax hike, telling constituents: “I put my kids on the bus and I want roads to be fixed.”
But Peabody mother of three, Ann Mitsopoulos, told Patrick she is worried the gas tax will drive up school transportation costs and lead to even more education cuts than local schools are currently facing.
?We’re always getting cut; we’re always getting fee’d,” she said.