Click here for updates on this story
HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) — An anti-toll group put up a giant “toll troll” display at the state capitol in Hartford on Tuesday.
The Yankee Institute for Public Policy said it put up 82 toll trolls and a giant inflatable 10 foot troll on the front lawn of the capitol between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
It said drivers were able to see them from Capitol Avenue.
The institute said its goal was to raise awareness of the tolls proposal making its way through the state legislature.
It said tolls would tax Connecticut drivers hundreds of millions of dollars per year just to drive to work.
Tuesday wasn’t the first time toll trolls invaded the capitol. The Yankee Institute put them up last April too.
Gov. Ned Lamont included tolls as part of his budget proposal.
His latest proposal is a plan for 53 gantries on four of the state’s highways– I-91, I-95, I-84, and Route 15.
He continues to say that the revenue generated from tolls would help upgrade the state’s transportation infrastructure, including a number of deteriorating bridges around the state.
He said it was not an easy decision to propose tolls, but the state needs reliable revenue and no more borrowing.
“The trust has been broken, people have been told promises, Ned Lamont ran on the campaign he was only going to toll trucks and a couple days into his new office he changed that,” said Patrick Sasser, of No Tolls CT.
His group has about 90,000 members.
Earlier this month, the governor, legislative leaders, and some of the state’s mayors and first selectman made a big pitch for tolls, saying CT must fix its roads and bridges and improve train service, and tolls make out of state drivers share the cost.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
