Connecticut Comptroller Kevin P. Lembo has voiced his opposition to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy”™s plan to spend $10 million for a study on the feasibility of statewide electronic highway tolling.
Lembo serves on the 10-member State Bond Commission, which is scheduled to vote on the governor”™s proposal on July 25. In an interview with the Connecticut Mirror, Lembo questioned Malloy”™s decision to bypass the state legislature and use an executive order to create the new study. A bill to order an analysis of electronic tolling failed to receive a vote in the state House of Representatives during the last legislative session.
“The Bond Commission should not act as a replacement for legislative action,” Lembo said. “While the subject of electronic tolling ”“ and infrastructure funding as a whole ”“ is important to debate and discuss, I do not support financing this study through bonding without legislative directive. These decisions should be left to the next governor and legislature.”
Despite Lembo”™s opposition, it appears that the commission will approve the governor”™s controversial request: Malloy serves on the commission along with his budget director, Ben Barnes, and his commissioner of administrative services, Melody Currey. Attorney General George Jepsen and two Democratic members of the finance committee, Sen. John Fonfara of Hartford and Rep. Jason Rojas of East Hartford, are also on the commission and all have announced their support of the plan.
