by Doug MacGunnigle, WPRO News
House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello (D-Cranston) told WPRO’s Gene Valicenti that while he remains in favor of adding truck tolls to highways in Rhode Island, he would not consider any later legislation that would add tolls to passenger vehicles in the state.
“As long as I’m Speaker, no tolls on cars,” Mattiello said. “These gantries are not going to be for accepting tolls on cars and folks just have to recognize that we need a better infrastructure. I anticipate being Speaker for a good while to come, and it’s going to be new legislation that says no tolls on cars. We are not going to toll on cars.”
Mattiello also told Valicenti that he doesn’t expect to be moved by tomorrow’s planned “No Toll” protests at the State House. “Simply saying ‘no’ is not an idea that’s going to get a lot of attention from me. It may from others, but not from me. But I will listen to all good ideas that are going to move our infrastructure forward, that are going to be sustainable and that are going to work.”
The General Assembly session resumes Tuesday at 4pm.
LISTEN TO GENE VALICENTI’S FULL CONVERSATION WITH SPEAKER MATTIELLO BELOW:
