Typical dem candidate. Rather than try to cut the wasteful spending she wants to rely on one-time fixes like a federal grant. Where does she think that money comes from? The taxpayers. This is the same tactic that the current dem majority has used which leaves them scrambling every year trying to find new things to tax, but let's them put off actually finding solutions to the problem. A tax break for Newport County? Is she really that naive? Sure, the speaker and the president of the Senate will get right on that. Does she forget that they are the ones who pushed through this new toll/tax targeted at us?

Reilly was the ONLY Newport County legislator running for reelection (Dan Gordon was the other, but he's not running again) to vote against the tolls and has come up with several alternatives to the toll plan which the dem leadership voted down. Every dem rep & senator in the county voted FOR the bridge tolls either directly or by voting to approve the budget which made them law. The last thing we need is a dem representative. If Finn is elected she will just be another yes vote for speaker fox and his crew.

Fonn's tax break proposal, even if it had a chance of passing, also shows a stunning lack of understanding on her part. The toll doesn't just place an unfair tax on island residents, it will also have a significant impact on the local businesses. These businesses depend on tourists and laborers who don't live in Newport County and therefore wouldn't benefit from Finn's solution. The problem is much bigger than me having to pay $1.66 for a round trip, the issue is the tourist on a limited budget or the waitress making minimum wage working here, but living in Fall River. Those people will have to pay the full $8, more than an hour's wages for the waitress or the price of lunch for t

This letter shows that Ms. Finn has no grasp of this issue or the impact that this toll will have on the island. She seems content attacking the guy, but offers nothing in return except more of the failed policies favored by the dem majority & false solutions that in reality solve nothing.

This TOLL is going to come out of the pocket of ever tax payer in Newport County, The DOT's own study show's that only 20% of Sakonett bridge traffic is tourist, the rest is local business traficc and local's going about their routine, . Rolling up on 19,000.00 thousand signatures and NOW you see Dem's attacking Rep's and folks running for office about the TOLLS? Did anyone of our elected folks not see the total harm this is going to do? I get told different stories everyday from folks fearfull of JOB LOSS not just tips and wages but jobs just GONE! DO Middletown , Portsmouth and even Newport (most of them don't seem to care) a big favor, take a ride thru the Middletown indy park, count the MA, plates on cars there, do the same for NUSC, Raytheon, Ocean Drive, What happens when those jobs go? I hear more and more it's better to move the company and save good workers and leave the RI workers paying their own tolls, cost them a lot less and their own state did it to them! Why make other workers pay $40.00 bucks a week when it's only less than $10.00 bucks for RI folks, When that happens where 's the money coming from? Don't look upstate, go look in the mirror, WAKE UP , GET MAD, CALL! WRITE!SIGN, Say Something on here, It's what 60 or so of them? (including our own guys and woman) and all of us. Who runs this state? The Citizen's or the money lenders at the temple?

What a weak letter. Reilly isn't even my rep, but he provides many practical solutions.
"True leadership is identifying problems and working with our community leaders and elected officials to solve those problems."
So you're saying Reilly hasn't identified the problems and worked with community leaders? Of course he has, even before the legislation was passed.
This letter has no substance. Your two solutions:
1. Apply for Federal Grants (as if the money in those grants is not our money. Last time I checked we paid Federal Income Tax too)
2. Allow a tax break for local residents to offset the toll.
This is just accepting that the toll is going to happen! You're trying to mitigate it instead of fighting it! Ludicrous. And it doesn't solve the problems of the thousands of people in Massachusetts who use the bridge to get to work, or the thousands of tourists that will not frequent our shops or restaurants as a result of the toll.
This letter is so angering.

Reilly has taken a leadership role in his first term in office. It takes a leader to stand up to the status quo, otherwise known as the democrat party. Senator Paive-Weed has been silent on this issue because she made an agreement to let the bridge toll go forward so long as the Newport Bridge toll doesn't increase. While not in the Senate, Reilly has stood up to the leadership in the house that supported Weed's plan. The last thing we need is another Rep. that is going to just plug into the brain and vote lock-step with the leadership of the democrat party.

Just so I have this straight: It is "rhetoric" that "once again our community is being abused by our State House leaders". But instead of going after said State House Leaders for shafting Aquidneck Islanders and our out-of-state commuters, visitors and shoppers, and instead of rolling-back the toll scheme, we should just apply for Federal grants and State tax-breaks to take care of everything. Got it.

This letter shows that Reilly will be elected again.

Mitigate= To do less harm, The is the buzzword used in an Attempt to quiet residents if Portsmouth and Tiverton. The mitigated solution is a proposal to put the tolls on Rt 24 , They are proposed to go on rt 24 past the Fish ROAD exit and before the Stafford road exit, this mitagation was done to appease residents of Tiverton and Portsmouth, You see the folks from those 2 towns know how to drive back roads to get around the toll booths for the rest of our lives, (I think it was done to keep local sellouts in office,s) So why would folks from these towns fight so hard against this idea? Because they know a ripoff when they see it They know it will hurt ALL of Newport county, . there WILL be immediate jobs losts, I know, i have been told face to face,. This is real stuff guys, not fairy tales, the straight truth. Shortly in the future we will have a website and a name, and become more visible. keep siigning, pass copies around, call the radio. tell your elected folks, we didn't break it and were not going to fix it, Dan Reilly ,Brendan Doherty, Mr Hinckley anyone who helps stop this money steal should get your vote, The count is now over 19,00.00 thousand names, HELLO, in office? running for office?19,000.00 thousand Newport county residents say NO, it a gas tax ripoff, dot management failure, plain old lets clean up our mismanagement on Newport county taxpayers thief of money. NO Tolls, NO Cover Charge on Aquidneck Island

Hows this leave everything like it was, Pell bridge has always been a toll bridge, when the state hits you with the $10.00 increase on your car regitration make someone put in a bill that says half that money goes to roads and bridges(you know the things we drive our cars on) instead of into the general fund, with that you could problay get rid of Pell bridge tolls, but how about we drop locals to .25 cent and raise tourists to $5.00 an axle to keep it painted , BANG problem fixed, PROBLEM money that is pissed away in general fund to upstate is now being used for ummm what is it, it like insurance it's that right it would go the ALLSTATE, I mean all of the state

How do you look for creative ways to prevent a community from being imposed with another tax ? The first thing is file a lawsuit questioning the constitutionality of the tolls !

About 40,000 vehicles a day will travel over this bridge per day at four bucks a pop! That comes out to $160,000.00 per day which comes up to 58 million a year.

The total cost of the bridge was around 170 million dollars when the contract was awarded. The bridge will be paid for in three years at the current proposal . The toll is an unfair tax not a toll fee for operation and maintenance.

The elected officials have dropped the ball. The General Assembly is looking at what the people of Portsmouth are willing to accept starting with buying a multimillion dollar wind turbine and spending more to fix it three years later than it costs .Following the example of the wind turbine fiasco I can see why representatives from other cities and towns feel Portsmouth can foot the new bridge tax!

The General Assembly is pulling a rabbit out of the hat and Portsmouth is the rabbit !

How about we put the gas tax toward road maintenance . Privatize RIPTA , and end the under ground storage tank fund. If we use the tax dollars for what they are collected for there's no funding problem at all. We don't have a revenue problem , we have a spending problem.

My read on Rep. Reilly's letter, and his attempted budget amendments this year to defeat the toll, is that we don't need new tolls (or an increased Pell Bridge toll) to pay for bridge maintenance and bond debt service. New tolls only enable the state to avoid making needed changes to their transportation funding program. What we need is an allocation to Aquidneck Island of our fair share of state transportation funding (which includes Federal highway funding as well as our state gas taxes) and a dedication of vehicle registration fees to funding highway infrastructure instead of feeding the "general fund" money pit. The only tolls in our state are on Aquidneck Island. That's what happens when all the power is in Providence Plantations.

What kills me is when the RITBA had the chance to return the MT Hope bridge to the State they fought to keep it . Gov. Almond was willing to put it back with DOT. RITBA fought to keep it saying they could fund both with tolls from the Newport bridge. Rep Crawley of Newport lead the fight to keep it. Go Figure.

NO NEW TOLLS PERIOD, Doesn't matter who did whator where or when, it's just a money grab that will kill the local economy, and that is the MAJOR ISSUE

$5.00 for residents? REALLY, First of all the fee at the moment id suppose to be $1.00 and $5.00 dollats so the Pell bridge is bleeding money as we speak, Our fair share? we have paid our fair share for years ,It's called the gas tax just because folks from upstate think Aquidneck island starts at the causeway and Ends around Fort Adams doesn't mean we are all tourists on the island, I know there is a law that you can sue your union or your steward for not representing you, wonder if there is a law that would apply to elected officals, I think upstate has gotten a little to arrogant and our reps just a little to well wined and dined

Scary TOLLS? I hope someone reads this stuff, because it's all real, Way back when , i started this deal I went into the Newport County Chamber of commernce building, thought I,we/us/them could get some help there #1 Woman I talked to was from Jamestown and wanted new tolls1 BUT #2 she said they were trying to work out a rate for the navy? What happens if that doesn't play? The Feds could and would pull alot of jobs out of Newport county just like they did before. This Toll thing has to be put front and center NOW1, BEFORE the Elections, and then continue on after November right up till the ASSembly goes back into session, Anyone Living, working or doing business in Newport county should be stepping up for themselves and others, First they came for!!!!

TOLLS? it still goes well, but i have been going into places that had the petition, had copies picked up but no blanks left, if thats your case please contact me, we/I/you/us need every signature we can get

Guys,

Please avoid personal attacks. That is a violation of the Patch terms of service.

Tolls? Raytheon? So a guy who works for Raytheon wins the Bromze Medal from the National Defence Industry Association. not a small thing to do, and as a reward he will get to pay RI $40.00 a week to get to work, To bad he lives in MA.huh, I hope Raytheon is ok with what RI is dueing to it's help, picture Portsmouth and the island if they take a walk

You think Raytheon will pick up the tolls? Nusc to? , what about all the other Ma worker on the island, who picking up for them? what about folks on the island who both work in Ma or upstate 2 transponders?, and do you really think any company can just toss tolls into and budget?
I have ben told again , to my face, that if thia happens 2 places will close and 2 others will move to MA, now thats only about60 jobs total, 60 paychecks with out RI withholding, 60 people not buying coffee, lunch, pizza, and THAT is just the start, it is just starting a slow death of jobs by economic poisoning

Well tell us who mark, they get paid 8 bucks everday to come to work, good on them, but sorry i don't think we are going to see those tolls period, Someone somewhere is watching all this and seeing the silly econmic drain of jobs and sales tax losses this will cause, and the 8 reps from Newport county that bagged us on this are watching this blog to,they let this fall squarely on the residents of Newport countys back, if they had voted no on the budget till the tolls were removed we wouldn't be talking about this now

Again guys, please refrain from personal attacks. They are against Patch TOS and are counterproductive to a healthy debate with our neighbors.

Are you speaking of the cumuter transponder, Mark D, it has already been stated that these will not be made available to out of staters, if it wasn't for this peition i don't thing economic study was going to be done.First words my rep said about this petition was "it's a waste of time" , and "the tolls are a done deal" now with no econmoic study having been done why was that said, even more good news Mark just got handed another 4480 signed papers, hope you signed,

I am speaking to the group, I have had to delete quite a few comments because of name calling.

thank you olga, now big manny you can go ask your rep if he said it any time ok, you do know who he is right?

sorry mark but the reps who came to tiverton stated very plainly that this would not be done on the new tolls if put in place and may i ask who us is? are you a council member or something

I will tell you mark i mostly run around getting petitions signed, but i work with a network of lawyer, councilmen, business owners and the like, so i am not totaly uninformed, are you sure of folks from CT getting commuter transponder"s, for NUSC folks, i know some kind of deal was trying to be made with the navy, but i think that would be very unfair if not illegal to anyone else

I don't know oh any Tiverton Folks that were at that meeting and I notice that Mr Darlington left rather quickly after he bought up new tolls on the Mt hope bridge and you caan only by a ri transponder if you live in RI, Now when i go fishing in south county with my new jersey transponder it charges me $4.00 dollars each way, are you telling me that if i drove over the Newport bridge back and forth5 times that i would not be charged on the 6th trip?

i bet you problay put them there manny, but no worries, any names like that are blacked out and not counted and you may ask Mr Edwards any time if he said that, i did not hear him say it but was told this by the people he said it to , and they have no reason to lie to me, but i would like to thank you for trying to make a mockery of the petition drive, you and curb/t1 always know whats best right?

Well since the hit dog manny showed up on the middletown patch, making his usaual remarks, since you guys or erin won't muzzle him i'll give as good as i get, i consider this whole toll thing apart from local politics (somewhat) but if him and jat and db are going to attack me i will fight back. I will say this Renee none of the name calling stuff goes on on anyother patch like this one, their editor allow remarks on the issue's only ,no petty remarks or insults and they run well.Those 3 attack me all the time, and i see not one of you and your friends stopping it do I?So do you think stupid attacks on other sites helps the petition drive, because i don't. oh and i went to portsmouth for my education incase you were wondering, so i guees i didnt get the full benefit of Tiverton high

Agree Renee. It works both ways. I also have called out many posters and have used the "flag as inappropriate" button numerous times. I have no idea who manny or dan d are, just like I have no idea who rug doctor or fred floon or other folks "on the other side" are. They are anonymous posters and it is unfair to accuse T1/Curb or anyone else of "allowing" behavior of people the don't even know just like it is unfair to blame TCC for postings from people on here whom the don't know and who can be just as rude. Bottom line is no one really knows who they are and we or any other group can't be held accountable for what they say. Nor can we control who the Patch chooses to allow and not allow.

And just to repeat - everyone is against the tolls.

Jim L i have never been to a Curb or TI meeting nor have i ever signed a letter that someone else asked me to submit. You just can't stand that someone like me is constantly calling you on you BS. Let's see the Fiore thing, the letter, the Mass Government getting involved in the anti-toll and your bs about Rep Edwards saying the tolls were a done deal and your relentless attacks on the school Super for some thing you alleged occurred but wont say what.How about you back up one single statement with some facts. Give it a shot Dim C Lipe, the truth will set you free.

Manny my name is JIM LIPE you will see Ma getting involved in these tolls, you say i'm a lair ?prove it? put on big boy pants and go ask these folks if it happen, till then i stand by eveyr statement i've said and every letter i signed, thats JIM LIPE not a hidden attack dog, so with elections comeing up and stopping tolls takeing up alot of my time, post what you want, most folks know that an unamed poster is just someone who's word carries no weight ,feel free to stalk me all over patch if you must, in fact if you want come with me as I burn $30.00 bucks worth of gas trying to stop this insane robbing of Newport county, The Letter I DEMAND YOU put it up gee cant do that can you, to many folks might agree, i think maybe i'll put it up
bye

Please do put the letter up Dimmy. You are so thick headed that you can't understand the fact that you agree with the letter means next to nothing. You lied, Nelson lied so when you wrote that letter you were taking part in a hidden attack. Please explain Dim, why would mass get involved in the tolls in Rhode Island. Many Rhode Islanders from the northern part of the state work in places along the Mass pike and must pay tolls to get there. Should we raise hell and take Mass to court?

Why would i ask other people to prove your statements when it is you making the accusations and telling the lies. You are the TCC attack dog and I bet they are feeling foolish for ever having teamed up with such a knuckle dragging ham and egger.

Manny/ Brian / jay edwards/ mike burk you are unknown and count for nothing, sorry best i can do

I hope people are continuing to send those Emails to your Congressional Delegation. They should be working to stop the tolls at the Federal Level. Take ten minutes and send them a letter. Tell them to stop the Federal Transportation Administrations approval for the transfer of these bridges. We pay enough in taxes for our roads. It neither fair or prudent.

Thanks Joe, any help from any side is what is needed, this is an economic issue, politics off course plays into it, but in order to stop this Newport county residents must put politics aside and fight together, I consider this about akin to the British ocuppying Newport, it's like Newport county is a money cocktail and the asembly is just wanting to take little sips till the glass is empty, then what raise the tolls to buy wood for water fire?

TRUE DAT Robert E

Where we the Portsmouth residents fighting with the newport residents when the pell tolls were being installed. Oh thats right they don't use that bridge so they don't care. I also love these petitions that are all over. Every place I'm in I hear people signing even though they have no clue what's its for.... Start the tolls tomorrow. Ill pay my fair share!!!!

The Newport Bridge was constructed in 1969. Times were much different then. I'm sure you realize that. This will have a dramatic effect on small businesses on the island.

Stanley Martin If the RITBA didn't fight to keep the MT Hope bridge under their authority back when Gov. Almond took the tolls off the rate could drop. Where were you when we fought to return that bridge to the state. Rep Crawley told us the Pell bridge could support both. Why did you remain silent then. The toll should come off the pell bridge when it's paid for as promised.

That's fine with me! I'm just saying as someone that uses both bridges to get to work MOSTLY the Newport bridge I'd rather see a shared approach then have the pell toll go to 6$ then 8$ someday and have all the Portsmouth residents get away Scott free. I FULLY support a toll on that bridge...

Friday I went into a rather large chain motel in Middletown, just to ask if the would pass the petition aroung their workers, as I'm standing there a couple is being shown their bill , $180.00 for tonite, $220.00 for Friday and Saturday, as the girl is bringind the petition out the guy notices my shirt, asks " Is that about the tolls on that new bridge?' then "I will never come here again if their going to charge to just to drive here!!" SoNewport county just lost $600.00 dollars in room fee's 3 breakfast fee's plus tip, 3 lunch fees &tip 3 dinner fees& tip, and any money that would have been spent down town so lets say $300.00 also gone is the sales tax and meal tax, so lets say Newport county just lost 1300.00 from 1 couple someone got no tips, someone made no sales, it is all just gone, THIS IS THE PROBLEM WITH THESE TOLLS, Thats a 1300.00 hundred dollar loss, multiply that by the 20% of tourist using the new bridge are Newport county will be choked to death and then the only one's left to shovel money upstate is US the localsUpstate and our reps didn't think of this, What for STOP, it's to stop the tolls and we are asking for your help

sorry watch for STOP please

Sorry Mark D. but by the state of RI own studies it proven that this is a working mans bridge, 20% out of town, meanwhile 95 upatate is 80% out of state truckers and 60 5 out of state cars, THIs is their study, so to place tolls up there makes much more sence, and it can be done, I we/hey can't help it if you feel bitter about Newport bridge tolls, but to put the upkeep for 4 bridges on the smallest one in the gruop in insane, stupid, and job killing, just plain simple facts, sorry

Jim L when will the Mass government be swooping in to handle this problem. By the way Jim, I know a few dozen people in Middletown , Newport, and Portsmouth who work in Nk, SK , URI and Quonset and they take the bridge over each day. Seems as though you don't mind those folks paying tolls so long as you don't have to. It will all be okay as long the MASS saves us from the tolls as you promised they would.

TITLE 24
Highways
CHAPTER 24-12
Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority
SECTION 24-12-5

§ 24-12-5 Power to construct, reconstruct, renovate, acquire, maintain, repair, operate or manage projects or additional facilities and to issue bonds. – In order to facilitate vehicular traffic, remove many of the present handicaps and hazards on the congested highways in the state, alleviate the barriers caused by large bodies of water, and promote the agricultural and industrial development of the state, the Rhode Island turnpike and bridge authority is hereby authorized and empowered: to construct the Newport Bridge, the turnpike, any portion thereof or any additional facility hereafter authorized to be constructed; to acquire the Mount Hope Bridge and any additional facility hereafter authorized to be acquired (except the Sakonnet River Bridge); to maintain, construct, reconstruct, renovate, acquire, repair, operate or manage any project or projects; and to issue bonds of the authority as provided in this chapter to finance any project or projects; provided, however, that the Mount Hope Bridge shall only be acquired as provided for by § 24-12-40A.

How can the state transfer the Sakonnet River Bridge to the RITBA when the Enabling Legislation for the RITBA says they can not acquire the Sakonnet River Bridge?

The RITBA was not created to be a permanent agency it was created to pay off the bonds to build the Newport and Mt.Hope bridges. Once those are paid off the bridges are supposed to be turned over RIDOT and the RITBA disbanded per SECTION 24-12-39. The RITBA was never ment to be a maintence company and because they are not payinf for the construction of the Sakonnet River Bridge that bridge should remain with RIDOT.

Why yes Mark I do believe that nothing was addressed by alot of folks upstate why would 15 reps not from the island vote against , I guess they thought of the fact that almost ever resident of RI will have to buy a transponder or pay the Newport county cover charge, The fact that just about every person leaving the island for any reason will now have to buy a transponder and give the money to an outfit that the state has no control overm yes they must have seen that?The fact that business have stated that they will just LEAVE, guess it didn't bother them, What they didn';t see is the Citizens of Newport county bonding together as one to say that we WILL NOT be an ATM for the state while they try to rob of us our own lively hood, All they see is MONEY< MONEY MONEY PERIOD

You sound like you haven't seen the new bridge Mark what about the fact that it needs no maintance for 10 years, wheres that money going?
And the RITBA doesn't have the resoures either, they contract just about everything except paying themselves and toll workers, so why doesn't the state just dismiss them and put the whole thing in the DOT, they can hire folks just like the turnpike boys can't they

Mark! I've been waiting for someone like you to show up, you are totaly ignore the econmic impact of tolls on this bridge, It's the only defence the assembly has, watch my left hand as my right takes money out of your pocket, No It is about one bridge paying for 4, take all your laws and figures and blah, blah blah and deal with the real problems the tolls will cause. I myself expect you will ignore this and you will suddenly have backup from someone else, In the meantime the folks who live in the hit zone of the tolls sit and hope that we can get this stopped, as i said before and will say again, i /we/ us all/ are voters and can see the effects of this nothing but a money grab from upstate, thats all it is the general assembly acts like their vampires and were sheep, sorry wrong country wrong island wrong county, i don't know what the total will be by election day, but i will say this. You think you can dismiss 24,000.00 thousand voters, well feel free but it's not over then, we will continue this fight till the general assembly opens and see what support we have then RECALL votes, yup on the table! I don't do this for fun, or profit ( at least $300.00 of my money in) but because we/us they residents of newport county got swindled on the budget vote, surprise, we get poked in the eye and don't go running to mom, we clear or eye, wipe our nose stand up and hit back, perhaps some of the folks in office forgot, they work for us, not we work for them

AGAIN mark , i don't HAVE to pay the toll i don't have to come up with arguements about how it might be good, call me back when the econmic study is done, you see, now one will have to be done, a real one, not just a press release from upstate saying " A STUDY WAS DONE" me and my other 24,000.00 thousand voters don't like you and your treating us like serfs, your mistake not mine

good idea lets see noe 300 hundred dollars time 24,00.00 thosand voters robbed by the general assembly is? i have no idea, But If every man woman and child in Newport county sent You folks in the assembly $300.00 dollars a piece would you remove the tolls? PLEASE!!!

Do you thing i'm foolish enough not to realize i'm talking to a person in office trying to CYA, because alot of others can see it

Has anyone noticed what a pompus ass Mark D is?

Guys,

We might have Patch events, where you will have the pleasure of meeting everyone face to face. Don't say anything you would be ashamed to say in person. Please do what you can, for me, to keep the debate away from personal attacks.

Zealot? yup!! first class, spend my time! my money! wandering all over Newport county, and i thank you for your laffing accident. But, this is dead serios, it's not a game WAIT!!!!! I will even admit that Big Tourist money with still flow into Newport, your right their rich , they don't care about money But most of NEWPORT tourist bussiness for other is not were big money goes, The rich hang with the rich, and the folks that are just like us and go to conway NH in the fall are the folks that come to newport and enjoy themselves, You ever pay a TOLL to go over the Kac amangus pass, never!! that would just kill the foilage season for businesses that need those non local dollars, Toss a cover charge fee on Newport county, and when you've sucked job dry , well

People go to the Berkshires for fun, The majority of the folks crossing the portsmouth bridge are going to work, just another LITTLE thing you guys didn't think of,sorry Mark D, no matter how you try to steer it or clear it, TOLLS will hurt Newport county's economy, from the double gas tax to sales tax lost, rising prices, job lost, if you find those to be weak things fine and dandy, how about you tell me ALL the good things the tolls will do?

How do you know that no lawyers are fighting this? are you connected with the state? the DOT?,As I said, yesterday I was in a large motel in Middletown picking up a petition when the gentleman next to me noticed my shirt He was haveing his bill explained to him and asked if the shirt meant the new bridge tolls , i said it did, and he sauid that he and his wife come to newport county 3 or 4 times a year, but if RI was going to charge him just to get here you wouldn't come anymore, PERIOD!, so whats lost by the toll? $610.00 dollars in room fee's 3 breakfasts at say $30.00 plus tip. lunch$40 plus tip dinner what $80 plus tip tourist junk downtown $200 not spent so $1100.00 just walked out f the statex the 3 times he doean't come anymore $3300.00 gone and thats just 1 couple, now cure that for me will you, cure it for all of us Doesn't matter how you spin it, this is just a money grabbing rippoff from upstate, you can't help small businesses by taking money out of their customers pockets

I guess we /i/ they/ us brainwashed 3 town council's to get them to oppose this right? all the small business's in Newport county will be hurt by this nevermind the $8.00 dollars Ma folks working in Newport county will have to fork over, or the jobs lost, You can talk all you want about other places, I'm talking about right here, an island 15 miles long x 5 miles wide and you want to put a toll at both ends, other than to suck every penny from residents and businesses WHAT FOR? make DOT live in their Budget and do their job, can the bridge boys, the state i think can handle bidding for bridge upkeep i would hope, bring all that money to the state and put the registration money where it's suppose to go, to the roads and bridges the cars drive on, not some of it, use ALL of it for that

Cry me a river those Portsmouth residents that say "what about the MA workers?". They have to pay a toll now. I forgot that everyone who commutes to Aquidneck island does so through Portsmouth. Give me a break. START TAXING THE CHEAPSKATE PORTSMOUTH RESIDENTS NOW!!!!!!

Stanley Martin, when the shops on Aquidneck ave start closing , and a few businesses pull out, and you propery taxes go up because your tax base is shrinking you WILL feel Different, as stated Portsmouth folks can drive around the tolls all day long, just like we can get into Newport and out again pretty fast by backroads, so you should be happy that the residents of Portsmouth see the cause for this fight, it's not the tolls, it the hidden costs resulting from the tolls, if you can't see that then i am sorry

My recommendation is to contact your state rep and senator and tell them you take the new tolls personally, and that every time you pass through a toll plaza you will remember whose hand just reached into your pocket. Same for the Governor.

BRING ON THE TOLLS!!!!!

Well censorship has stepped in , when miss piave weed got whatever award from who ever i made a comment, and so did someone else, these comments have since disappeared, just remember folks, when they came for the books, i said nothing, and blah blah blah, if i was lieing they would have fought and discredited me, instead me and my remarks have been banished, I hope this scares you as much as it does me
l

BRING ON THE JOB LOSSES< BRING ON THE SALES TAX LOSSES> BRING ON THE ROOM AND MEALTAX LOSSES< BRING ON THE LAYOFFS OF WAITRESS IN ALL THE FOOD PLACES IN TOWN< BRING ON THE SHOPS ON LOWER THAMES JUST EMPTY AGAIN< BRING ON THE JOBS LOST BRING ON THE ISLAND DYING BECAUSE UPSTATE THOUGHT THEY WERE SUCKING MONEY OUT OF TOURIST WHEN IT WAS WORKING FOLKS bring stanley martin and his wallet, we will need it

Dan Reilly knocked on my door THIS afternoon. I quized him every which way. He didn't have ANY Thugs with him. He's got my VOTE
.

Mark D, prove me wrong, show us how sucking money out of pockets heading into Newport county with benefit anyone or any bussiness, or go back to to the Ga and explain how your arguement against Newport county tolls failed

Well gee mark, tel me how any toll will be good for any busines in Newport county, stand up and show my your armpit, better yet show us your real name. maybe post a real picture so we see you coming, I'm Jim Lipe aka toll dude in shirt and hat ,tiverton ri, I.m willing to be held to any and everythimg I say!!Will you do the same???

The number of businesses on the Island that will be affected by tolls is all of them. Mass residents who like to come here will think twice before adding a toll to their excursion . The new group called STOP which stands for Sakonnet Toll Opposition Platform will be meeting Thursday Sept 27th at town hall 6:30 pm to work on a strategy. They need volunteers like Jim L to collect data for the State study. I would encourage all who are interested and outraged to attend. We can STOP this if we work together with all the towns in the East Bay collectively.
See you there Joe Sousa Candidate for Town Council

I feel for the businesses that will be affected, I feel for the poor tiverton and Portsmouth residents that will be affected. My point is I want everyone to share. The only people that are pushing this are the ones that don't use the pell/Newport bridge. Don't try to twist it any other way. You don't want to contribute. I do every day and I'll only have to pay more if they don't put a toll on the sakonnett.

how is everyone sharing if we already pay.33 cents a gallon for gas which is then SUPPOSE to be used for bridges and roads, How about this Stanley The tolls on the Newport Bridge are used to MAINTAIN that bridge, thats why they were put there, correct? YOu join us and we make DOT fix everything, the way they are suppose to , and compared to the folks who use the Newport Bridge to this one for daily routine is tremndous, But if you prefer to put it that way, I guess all of us that have used this bridge for years, they paid gas taxes and got NOTHING for it while you at least got a bridge KEPT in good repair right, so you got your end of the deal held up, Now just because Pauva Weed doens't want to upset SOME of her voters she stabbed the rest of the island in the back It's like she is Btutus and our reps are the other guys with knives to

Mark D what say you to the proven fact that if the tolls go forward as stated the residents of newport County will infact be paying a double gas tax tell me your answer on how this will help with any development in the Tiverton Indy park, explain to me why no economic study has taken place yet, but the permission to toll has been put in place? Have you forgotten WE live in RI and we know how most things work The Assembly thought this was a DONE DEAL, shouldn'tthe study have taken place first? Should the study that says the best place for these tolls with the least harmful effect on RI residents just be ignored! If needed the federal government should not turn this over untill abetter less money sucking job killing answer is found

Brendon Doherty pledged to help on this, who you gonna believe? Him or the party that got us here, straight ticket voting is killing this state and if the guy who left our capitol city broke gets elected then this state is really in bad, bad, shape, This is prety much one fact i can see Except for Jack Reed I haven't seen anyone else in office being sent to Washington doing anything to help us stop this, Their are local folks in and out of office in Newport county helping, but you know and DEM helping is doing it on the down low,and we as voter should remember that, just as we should remember who else helped and who didn't

townie, If you chose to live on Jamestown and work in Newport YOU have always paid a toll, If you live in Newport and work ober the other side YOU have always paid a toll, you know this going in, and while i sympathy with them that's been a fact of life for over 50 years, guess the bridge isn't paid for yet. So if you can't see the difference between a toll thats always been there verses a toll to just suck money and jobs out of Newport county then you can stand were you are and I'm fine with my satand, besides with your foolish remark about who you are speaking to proves you are just moving your lips but saying nothing, And being from Tiverton makes your effort to encorage tolls even worse

OUR fair share Mark D? i think a BIG BIG chunck of our fair share came right out what happen when the Navy pulled out Just how baddly did that treat this island, our fair share, when we stood up and went to work to return this island toward econmic recovery, by atraccting Nusc and Raytheon And War college workers here, while at the same time building a tourist base that has become a prime feeder of money to up state, THATS our fair share Our fair share was paid by all our gas taxes put to use anywhere but the SRB which should still be standing and lasting another 30 years or so, point me out someplace in RI that has paid a bigger share, and you wonder why we won't let the STATE Steal a bigger share off the backs of working folks in Newport county never mind the fact that the rest of the state still doesn't see that they also will need transponder, and whats worse is the money goes to a private outfit with no state oversight,can you say this is a good fair plan?

The Crazy tax and spend liberals like mark D have to spin the facts to maintain their wasteful ways. RI. has 10.7% unemployment rate due to people and thinking like his. Using a fake name to spin a web of misinformation. Can you imagine trying to tell people a toll wont hurt businesses. It's just a joke .

pstt Mark D i believe all the things you didn't say just proved my point, thanks for the help and if you go back and look perhaps you can dig up the info on the economic effect study that 1 hasn't been done and 2 i don't see it sheduled to be done,

Old townie and mark I have a song for you that seems to exsplain your arguement greatly, "he magical mystery tour is waiting to take you away" qiuck get on the bus, you can dance but you can't hide, it's getting veery clear that you were very ivolved in the sell out of Newport county, Me? i hope next to see this nonsence in USA today as RI sells out half the state, and I can see it coming, and it makes me proud to revert to the one man one vote, you can't sell us out with out asking us I think I/us we brothers /sisters/ bussinesses have the high ground if you wish come for us, just like at Lexington I'm sure other citizens will step in

Mark democrat from upstate, i DON'T NEED A THING i got my cowboy hat, my tee shirt and my belief that this is just a money sucking slow death inposed on a Newport county that could have been stopped Thats all i have just the gift from my father that taught me to take care of the people around you and they will do the same, I'm sorry you never had that and win lose or draw i'm giving the best i got to help the people i think need it it most, so sorry kick, me, spit in my eye, i call me a lair with no facts, but i am my fathers son after 2 carriers sunk under him and seeing how many folks die, 31 years in the navy and selling cars at nunes of Newport on west broadway I he would have stood here and told you. YOU are wrong YOU want to suck the lifeblood out of NEWPORT county by putting a toll on a working mans bridge

You folks upstate have blown it big time, sorry, you didn't respect us in the morning, not even a kiss, i think we are lke a woman scorned, go away , we areplotting our payback

no more statements you can't refute

wait !! where is my answer about the study? show it to me, doesn't it nake sence to do the study first? even DEM does a study on how many deer need to be killed per county, before limits are set, how may business kills are ok with upstate to get to the average sales tax ,line? and if these flks fail shold the just taxed into failure because they failed the tolls

I'm going to close out the comments now. If you would like to start a conversation on Patch, blog it!

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