welcome to the fight Mr.Oliveira

Tolls = maintenance. A good thing for our community, future, and infrastructure. Lots of short sighted people are against tolls and this is representative of bad planning.

East side,

If that were true, everyone would agree with you.

However, we're all adults. There is no connection between the collection of a toll and the actual work being performed. Further more, there is no evidence that another method of maintenance will not be more successful than a toll.

To prove my point, I present the following video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6QQQCFkxLk

Further, tolls will decrease tourism as the tourists are already telling us. How does a decrease in tourism, not to mention an unfortunate defense industry negative byproduct, do anything for our community, future, and infrastructure??

The Newport Bridge is an excellent example of toll collection with maintenance and steady flow of people coming and going off of the island. I believe what is being proposed as negatives are nothing more than scare tactics and uneducated statements. For example, when gas prices go up, do people truly travel less? Would people still not come to Newport or some town on the island due to a toll? I also believe that if someone has an occupation on the island and lives off of the island they will continue to work on the island as the cost of the toll is minimum to the income they receive.

east side if you think making anybody who has to pay $40.00dollars a week just to go to work then you just don't get it. there's a woman the is a hairdresser in Portsmouth and her husband is a school teacher in middletown, so thats $80.00 dollars a week , you think thats minimum, Right, !! there is also 4 other woman from Ma . who work in the same saloon from Ma. $40.00 bucks to go to work, guess who will not be paying RI income tax soon,There are thousands of jobs filled by Ma. residents on this island, All paying income taxes and food taxes guess we don't need that income for the state right? I guees you think Studio 38 was a great deal for the state to? I could probaly name in order what business will fail if this takes place. Do me a favor and walk down broadway and count the Ma. plates you see there, count em at the beach, or better yet out on the drive on a fine spring day, check out the Newport hospital parking lot or any little coffee shop on aquidneck ave at lunch time, same with west main road in Middletown. Not only will Ma folks lose those jobs so will RI folks. If the Reps upstate can't see that ALL that money goes into the general fund then the next time Central Falls or Woonsocket, n anyother hurting town needs funds from the state, WELL I hope they remember THEY themselves voted to kiss the revenue from Newport county good by

I've said it before - the alternative to having a bridge, would be having a ferry. No one would expect the ferry to be free; why does anyone expect the bridge to be free? Living/working/visiting an island has it's hassles, one of them is getting on and off it - this is just part of the deal.

It costs minimum of $60 to bring a car to Martha's Vineyard and this does not stop the flow of visitors, in fact the dominant conversation there is how to reduce the number of cars on the island. The idea that $1 or $4 dollars will put a serious dent in our tourism is just silly.

East side,

Your point about the Newport Bridge does not hold up.

Unfortunately for you, we can track these things very closely.

When the Newport Bridge tolls were doubled, overnight day drive visits from Connecticut decreased. Once again, more revenue was lost than tolls were collected.

NMB, The Vineyard is not reliant on multiple day drives. Their consumer tends to stay overnight. The Vineyard is also not reliant on repeat visits.

The Vineyard does not contribute close, by percentage, to the overall tax revenue collected that Newport does. (See the Cape Cod Canal).

Finally, with the Ferries going to the Vineyard, there is a profit motive. There is a ratio between weight and fuel. Much different than the calculation for a bridge.

Perhaps you should spend a little time in the tourism industry and that would change your mind.

Would you expect a ferry from Tiverton to Portsmouth to be free?

nmb, martha's vineyard has tourism and ONLY tourism , no Raytheon, no War college, no Industrail parks Nothing but a tourist based economy. NOTHING like Newport County While you may think it wouldn't hurt the econmy IT WILL hurt locals in the pocket book no matter !what just a one way tax on newport county that benefits the rest of the state at the expense of families that live in NEWPORT county, It costs alot of money to go to Disney land to, but thats once in a life time, not "oh dear lets go to Newport for dinner tonite" or a ride around the drive, what do you do just sit at home and go to work, never to Boston or Providence, if you don't have a transponder will you be paying $10.00 dollars to go to either place?

NMB,

Based on the amount of traffic, why would such a ferry ever exist??

If it did, the next question would be: is it run by the state or contracted to somebody else?? Once you contract it to somebody else, it stops being free.

The question is so silly, I would expect some forward thinking individual, after watching the travesty that the "ferry train" would create, would go out, but the land and build a private bridge. Again, not being government, they would charge.

Since there is no ferry nmp whats your point, and the ferry wouldn't be kept in disrepair with my tax money

When the Fire code was changed businesses warned it would close their doors. The Liberals at the State House called them selfish short sighted business owners only looking for profit. Where are those businesses now ? A bad piece of legislation can have a negative effect.
Penny Wise $Dollar$ Foolish

You cannot by law build a bridge in RI without permission from tnhe RITBA, solves that i would say

Due to various circumstances, I have spent years paying $8 to commute over the bridge to work. It is the cost of living here and working there. In my opinion, fair enough - I want to live on an island, I'll need to pay to get on and off. I want to visit another island (block island, nantucket, MV, etc) I assume I'll need to pay for that as well. Also, don't be fooled, there are lots of commuters to and from these other islands.
.

If you live in RI and pay $8 to cross the bridge your either an idiot or a lair! Again this is not those islands so you are trying to apply facts that don't fit

Jim L,

Maybe, maybe not.

Until we get to court, nobody knows.

NMB,

Obviously we have to pay for the service. The question is if the government is running the show, are tolls the best way?

There's all kinds of evidence, and bridges, that suggest otherwise.

Oh, nice. You are full of personal assumptions about me: idiot/liar/don't work in tourism industry. Not only are these statements untrue (talk about applying facts that don't fit!), they do not advance the conversation or help anyone come to a reasoned conclusion on either side. I stand by my assertion that we should not expect free transport across the river and the fact that we would expect one kind of transportation to be free and another not is illogical.

NMB,

Your own words betray you. No person in the tourist industry ever would have dragged the ferry idea or the Martha's Vineyard concept into this conversation.

Please exercise some accountability.

Orthopedic surgery has NOTHING to do witj tourism, Coastal orthopedic in fall river has rehab places in Middletown and Bristol, I go to the office in Fall River and know many of the doctors , more than one has told me that they WILL NOT pay 8.00 dollars roundtrip to see patients, so kiss all those physical therapy jobs good by and folks from all over the island will now be forced to drive to fall river. The doctors offices in Portsmouth that are part of Charlton Memorial will also be effected if not closed more job losses, more loss of income tax! these are plan bare facts, and It Will drain money from the state of RI there is no 2 ways about that, Many good paying jobs that support entire families, and a lot of those workers come from Ma because their is not the worker on this island to fill them, look around NMB I and others have studied all this ,talked to folks, looked into funding and laws and you spout silly facts about ferry and islands and how you pay a bigger toll than you must! that is your fault, not the entire population of Newport county, and If you work at qounsett you can take their subdisidezed van to work IF YOU CHOSE

What's not being said - how management of funds took place in the past for the Sakonnet bridge obviously did not work. By moving the ownership and management to the bridge authority, this changes the business model. They charge and they maintain. Change is great.

East side,
so the Big Dig was a great business model??

I will let you retract that last one before I make even more fun of it.

(this forgets that the model may be unconstitutional)

East side, what is the pay scale at RITBA?, how much of their work is subcontracted out?, how are their bridge paintings contracts awarded? How much does the Board of directors get per year(it's not nothing) why when last year they say they figure an extra 38,000 cars crossed over weren't toll raised as they were on schedule to be, Why are certain NUSC people from Conn. allowed to pay RI rates? Are they better than others,STOP and don't toll know all the answers to these questions and many more, so like everyone else go get the facts instead of comments that don't pertain to this!

This article's author, Mr. Oliveira, wrote, "efforts became intensified when we found out our hope were to rest on a Bill filed by Representative Edwards. Unfortunately for the Representative, no one up in the General Assembly has forgotten how he conducted himself in his rookie year. Kissing up to Congressman Cicilline last year did not change that."

Mr. Oliveira seems to be unaware of Rep. Edwards' rise in position in the House. He was recently appointed Senior Deputy Majority Leader. That's "Senior" deputy, meaning he is the number 3 top person in the House leadership, right after the Speaker and the Majority Leader.

Short of the bill being sponsored by the Speaker himself, we no-tolls folks couldn't ask for a more powerful ally in the House than Jay Edwards.

He and Piava weed and others should be able to fix this mess, politics is hardball as they say and as team owners we have signed petitions and formed commitees to redact this Newport County only tax I hope they get it done

I notice two things about the posters who favor the toll. They post with a fake name and offer no credible evidence that a toll won't hurt the economy . An economy that is fragile and beleaguered

I don't blame people who pay a toll to cross the Pell for feeling screwed, but I don't get why they think people in another part of the county should also have to pay tolls. That's like getting punched in the face by someone and feeling better if the same person punches a neighbor in the face. If you're worried that tolls on the Pell Bridge will go up if the Sakonnet isn't tolled--that's a legit concern. All the more reason to join this fight to force the state to find other means to maintain its roads and bridges without imposing tolls selectively. Because even if the Sakonnet is tolled, you can bet the state will come knocking on your door to raise tolls on the Pell someday down the road. It's time to draw the line.

Portsmouth Citizen,

Are you lost? That's too funny. Let me help you . . . .

Even when Rep. Lamb was Majority leader, none of his deputies had any power at all. That was under Tommy Lamb who everybody loved.

Rep. Edwards is still disliked for his first 3 terms. His bill is dead before arrival. Rep. Martin of Newport, who is close to the Leadership, already told you that.

Don't waste time building up false hopes. Deal with reality.

"3rd most powerful . . . " I'm sending that one around . . .too funny

Jim,

You still have it in the wrong order. This is why I will not associate with STOP, I just hope they don't say anything stupid, or the PBA, who, nice as they are, are being played.

Oh Bobby Boy, a lot of us have not forgot that you are a lunatic. STOP wouldn't have you in the ranks. Tell us Bob have you ever won an election ? We know why !

Joe, maybe not as a candidate but as a coordinator, I have something you could never dream of: a win over Barrack Obama.

STOP is loaded with Tea Party filth and everyone in the General Assembly knows it. How did the GOP do this year in the General Assembly??

Now, as to other evidence of my ability to be effective, drive to Fall River and look at the sign that says "Scholarship City". I did that over a decade ago and you have nothing that comes close.

Here's something else we know: the Tea Party is bound top figure out what the Democratic Party did regarding you. Talk, talk, talk, talk then a loss and excuses.

Meanwhile, this lunatic will be a coordinator for a winning campaign somewhere.

P.S. Joe

The PBA wants nothing to do with STOP. They're Republicans.

I'm a Democrat and want nothing to do with STOP. Robert start paying like all the rest of us or stay in NY.

Stanley,
based on the number of timeshares I own in RI, I pay plenty.

By the way, since you are a Democrat, the fact that the tolls are bad for the building trades should be meaningful to you.

Thank you for exposing yourself for the lunatic you really are . You make a lot of claims that we all know are not true. You couldn't get elected head trash picker.

Aquidneck Island has not functioned like an island for decades. The communities in Newport and Bristol Counties are tightly intertwined and rely on each other. I feel like we are talking to a stone wall trying to explain this to those trying to impose the toll on our communities. The Sakonnet River bridge crosses a river just like George Washington Hwy crosses the Blackstone River in Cumberland. They spent YEARS rebuilding that bridge, but I don't see a toll on that bridge...or on any other river, inlet or reservoir in the state. This bridge is no different.

Joe,
so you're disputing Scholarship City and the Hillary Campaign?? That's the best you can do??

Son, 113 seats were up for grabs. Your choice for a Party couldn't get 20. I'd rather be a lunatic with friends than a loser by himself.

Would you like the Portsmouth Business Association to declare in public that they want nothing to do with STOP? All it takes is posting a letter they've already read and responded to.

This game is for adults; not anti-social children. Soon, we will here how stupid the Tea Party is when you leave them.

Sorry about the grammar mistake: "hear".

What Party would that be. I'm a Democrat. Fraud !

I have a question rather than a comment. Will there be an E-Z Pass lane on the bridge? This would help some of the workers/ and locals with the amount of the toll. I know it wouldn't be the whole answer. I do feel that these bridges need maintenance and it needs to be paid for somehow.

Of cause if you know Bobby you can get a political favor. He's so connected the President might give you a pardon. Fraud !

Joe,
No one buys that you're a Democrat.

You hang with Tea Party types, you don't support our candidates, you don't support our positions.

By the way Republicans, did you just read that??

Joe wants to hang with you under the Tea Party banner but not under the Republican banner.

Are you guys so without self-esteem that you'll let him get away with that??

He wants your positions, your candidates, your Tea Party but not your name. How do you trust such a person??

Frankly, I want nothing from you and wish you would get out of the way so this could get done properly. The Edwards Bill is wasting enough time.

I supported Jay Edwards knowing he will do the right thing up State . I voted for the Republican when you ran.

Commuter non-residents

Thirty Day Frequent User Plan (RI6TRIP) – Transponder Specific Plan: 6 trips be taken within 30 days per transponder, providing a discounted rate of $0.91 cents per trip. Upon completion of the 6th trip or 30 days, whichever comes first, the plan cycle will renew. All unused trips in a plan cycle will be billed to your E-ZPass account and appear on your statement as Unused Commuter Trips (UUCT) at the discounted rate of $0.91 cents per trip. The plan becomes effective at 12:01 AM on the day the plan is added to the account and the plan will be activated upon the 1st trip taken. Cancellation of the plan during a current 6 trip cycle will result in a charge for any Unused Commuter Trips not taken. (Only 2 axle passenger vehicles under 7,000 lbs. are eligible).

Thirty Day Unlimited Discount Plan (RIUNL) – Transponder Specific Plan: Unlimited trips within a 30 day cycle on the Newport Pell Bridge only, for a pre-paid cost of $40.00 per transponder enrolled in the plan. This plan is available for credit card customers only. Upon completion of each 30 day cycle the plan will automatically renew and begin on the 31st day. $40.00 will be debited from your pre-paid toll amount for each transponder enrolled in the plan. If the plan is removed from the account it will remain in effect until the end of the current 30 day plan cycle. (Only 2 axle passenger vehicles under 7,000 lbs. are eligible).

https://www.ezpassritba.com/static/info/plan.shtml

Joe,

Rep. Martin and the rest of the House Leadership doesn't think so.

As usual, you're on the wrong side.

I thought you said I was on the Right side R. ? Just cant nail you down. I guess it's some of that Obongo two step stuff that beat your candidate Big Hill. Fraud !

56 members of the House signed the Bill. We have a shot if we keep the pressure on . The Feds could give us a bone as well. They could reject RI's request. The due diligence was not done. Our letters will drive that point home . You don't hold the cards or have an informed opinion. I wouldn't bet a nickle on you.

Rep. Martin's comment, "I want to see tolls on the Sakonnet Bridge so the tolls on the Newport Bridge don't go up" tells you where the Leadership is.

Lots of people win that you don't bet a nickle on including just about the entire Congressional Delegation.

The Feds are not going to reject a request from a Campaign Co-Chair. You could at least know something about the trade you're discussing.

Your letters and your Bill are meaningless.

Do not argue with government apologist clowns like
"East Side". They are trolls.

The real problem is the higher gas tax and unfriendly business practices forces a 20 to 30 ¢ / gallon premium for RI gas stations. As a result most people purchase their gas in Massachusetts. The RI DOT for years have had to deal with puny budgets to fix the ever growing problems with RI roads/bridges. So tolls are the natural responses when you don't have enough gas tax revenues.

As long as the crossings for normal commuters are about $1/per cross, then its not going to be a big deal.

Just remember people in New York spend over $10 to cross the George Washington Bridge. In Europe some of the crossings are over $20.

I trust tourists to predict their own behavior.

They're telling us if the tolls go up, they're not coming.

It also costs zero to cross the Lake Champlain Bridge and many others.

Just my personal situation - I live in RI but don't have a transponder. Why? Because I am not paying the $20 and giving them $25 off my money to hold onto. What does this mean? I don't go to Newport nearly as much as I used to and have not travelled on the Newport bridge since the days of using a token. Put up a toll on the Sakonnet, and I will go even less frequently and use the Mt Hope. Toll that bridge, and I stop going all together. This is just me nobody else. There are others like me, still others who will continue their daily lives and pay the tolls. The real question is how many are like me and what will that do to the economy on the island? If you think not much, then approve the tolls. If you think it will then don't approve the tolls. It's as simple as that. Some people will do nothing more than be forced to shell out 83 cents to $4 each way. The state wins here. For me and others, plus those that will cut back on their trips, the state will lose out from lost business that will go elsewhere

Naome,

the attempt at a straw man was kind of weak.

I have never argued that I pay too much tax. I have argued that I pay my fair share.

I have argued repeatedly that due to overall tax collection going down that tolls will be bad for the building trades, our schools, working families and businesses overall.

I have no tolerance for the Tea Party and would much rather refer to them by their old name: the KKK. Their efforts here are only going to waste time and waste money.

I don't know why anyone thinks the tea party comes into this at all, thats just bull. the petitions that forced the state to take another look at this was signed by everyday citizens from all walks of life. Folks who don't realy care about payiny .83 cents for tolls but folks that know the economic impact of impopsing a barrier towards folk who work AND play here. Thats the heart of this issue and to bend it any other way is just decietfull

Please deal with reality.

STOP is basically a Tea Party organization. As such, it can only hurt the effort.

The PBA is basically a Country Club Republican organization. As such, it can hope to make a deal but will probably get played.

The state hasn't taken another look at anything. The plan from Day 1 was a toll and that's the plan now.

Only a coalition made up of the building trades, union folks, teachers, and forward thinking businesses will prevail at the proper time. That time is not yet since the Executive is still exercising power it does not rightfully own. That in turn allows the Legislative to avoid exercising power, why bills are mistimed now, it should be.

The petition only caused theater and did not change any thought process. This is especially true for the Executive Branch.

Please grow up.

Dear BOBO oliveria, thank you for the fool tag The coalition you speak of already been made up and spoken, thats what the Petitions did and no matter how much you and your executive branch buddys knock it the people have spoken, they know that we were handed a bill of good and they are sick of it, You and your like finally got called on putting your hand in the cookie jar instead of doing your jobs I see you and your ilk never said a word on here, never appearred until WE THE PEOPLE started to be taken seriously. This fight will go to the GA , the Ri supreme court Washington and any other place that it takes to remove a tax just placed on the yoke of 85% of Newport county residents, sorry dude, this is america and we have the right to repair wrongs done, By the vote and by the law

What fantasy world are you living on??

There's no such coalition as you cannot identify one member of the building trades or a union official working on the issue.

Thanks for making my point.

Once again, we are faced with a basic choice:

We can believe what the tourists are telling us and in turn what that means for overall tax revenue or we can believe what the supporters of the tolls are assuming.

I believe the tourists.

Ummm Gerry, that's not what the numbers say or the emails reveal.

Kinda hard to be successful when your bill is already dead.

Funny, unlike most of you, the projects I worked on in Tiverton went just fine. Not as good as Fall River, but there was actually structure there.

A lot of you haven't changed: lots of talk, lots of crying, lots of complaining, lots of being dismissive and then nothing.

P.S. The site has averaged 50 visits per day for the last 3 days - which is about the average for the month. Imagine what will happen when the marketing begins.

(Then again, Gerry is one of those people who forever complains about being shut out of Smith Hill. Therefore, much like his similar compatriots, he won't have much effect on what goes on there. Like other people, I'm sure he makes the pro-toll forces feel very comfortable.)

Please forgive in advance if this has been suggested previously (I plead guilty to having merely scanned through the many comments). Is there a reason the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations has not erected Toll Booths on 95S and/or 95N - collecting at One (1), or both ends of the State; i.e., entering or leaving the State? Just as many other States do for driving the 'North East Corridor'; wether the tolls are for 'road usage', 'travel tax', D.O.T, it is all the same. The tolls collected for merely passing through some States enables the upkeep and maintenance of existing roadways, Tunnels, Freeways, Parkways, etc. (Not to mention expansion projects). The 'road usage' toll could be minimal as the amount of traffic passing through the State would surely surpass the traffic quota traveling over the Sakonnet Bridge. Thereby, collecting monies needed for that bridges erection and subsequent up keep. Would it not be beneficial to the citizens of the entire State if our elected officials stopped the practice of coming at their own citizens with the predetermined mindset of confrontation rather than collusion?

How does taking me on resuscitate a dead bill?? Inquiring minds would like to know. Even if I'm wrong, your bill is still dead. If I were you, I'd be fixing that if I could. But, as we know from past experience - anybody remember the 24 hour waiting period bill?? - you can't.

How's it feel to want yet again?

The Bull Crap Award goes to Bobby O. for the biggest line of crap ever put on Patch. . AhhahahhahahahaAhahahhaha Full OF IT !
We may need the Pump Out Boat over here !

Numbers don't lie.

I'd love to accept that award, but I'm not the one pushing around a dead bill.

This will end for you as it always does.

(Notice he never argues any of the merits)

*** BULL CRAP AWARD ***** Given to Robert Oliveira for work that stinks from here to the State House. He's well known for his Delusions of Granger .
Applause Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap.

Once again, nothing specific is mentioned.

Meanwhile, if you call a couple of Chambers of Commerce, they're not exactly on board with this bill. Funny, since they should be slam dunks and lean conservative. Joe forgets that folks can use the phone to check on his homework. Most of it is incomplete. The Pro Toll forces should be again be pleased that Joe and his ilk are against them since the Tea Party has a hard work allergy.

By the way Joe, it's grandeur- you know, like when you can't exactly pass the Dream Act, but you and your friends hope big enough that you still get all the pieces through. Guess that was another delusion.

I knew you would know how to spell it. Once again, nothing specific is mentioned.

Let's be even more specific:

The Finance Cmte's schedule is out for March.

Looks like the cart is even further ahead of the horse.

Mr Oliveira, where did you find the schedule?

On the left hide side of the page, click Finance and you can review the 20 posted agendas one at a time.

http://status.rilin.state.ri.us/agendas.aspx

2 things of note, by the numbers:

1. Rep. Edwards has had 7 bills heard in Committee thus far. 6 of the 7 have been held for further study. He should get his second win when HEW hears his Irish Heritage month Bill on March 6th.

2. On February 26th, Reps. Edwards, Lima, and Gallison filed House 5466. It tries to do Legislatively what a lawsuit would do Judicially. Therefore, I support the bill but have already been told, don't expect much. Funny that the bill was filed late last week and it never gets mentioned in over 200 bridge comments on Patch. Really sounds like STOP and the PBA have their act together.

While Jim has a right to be alarmed, that's not the Chamber of Commerce he should be worried about.

Once again, the lack of experience, which leads to a lack of homework, shared by both STOP and the PBA comes to light.

Fear not good citizen. That shall soon change.