by Tara Granahan, WPRO

The push to toll trucks on Rhode Island roadways has one town crying foul.  Hopkinton Town Council President Frank Landolfi told WPRO’s Tara Granahan Tuesday that a meeting between him, Chariho Superintendent of Schools Barry Ricci and Rhode Island House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello was abruptly canceled because the town has voiced its opposition to truck tolls.

Landolfi told Granahan that he received a “rude” telephone call from Mattiello’s Chief of Staff, Leo Skenyon, the morning of the scheduled Jan. 28 meeting, saying it was called off.

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“Not Mattiello, but his Chief of Staff told me that he read in the paper that you guys are against the tolls, so we’re not meeting today. Quote-unquote, that’s what he told me” said Landolfi.  He then questioned what the toll plan had to do with the “set” meeting on restoring transporation funds to the Chariho School District and Skenyon did not answer the question.  Landolfi told Granahan he felt Hopkinton, and the surrounding towns, were being punished for disagreeing with the governor’s plan.  He said the incident was frustrating and that’s not how he does business.

The cancelled meeting came before the town passed a resolution Monday night opposing the tolls, but the resolution was unanimously approved by the council.  In the resolution, the town said it had concerns the tolls might eventually be expanded to include passenger cars, possible negative economic impacts on the towns of Hopkinton and Richmond. One of the proposed 14 tolling gantries has been proposed for the Hopkinton-Richmond line on Interstate 95.