PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- A special legislative commission will wade into the toll-no toll debate over how to finance the maintenance of the Sakonnet River Bridge, along with the Pell, Jamestown and Mount Hope bridges, this Thursday.
The General Assembly bought time by imposing a token 10-cent toll on the Sakonnet River bridge this summer, amid angry protests from East Bay lawmakers who had voted for a budget with no tolls in it only to be told days later, the state had to impose a toll.
According to a General Assembly press release: "Last year, the General Assembly approved a provision in the budget transferring the ownership of the Sakonnet River Bridge, which connects Tiverton and Portsmouth, to RITBA so that a toll could be placed on the bridge. Since then, a majority of the East Bay delegation and members of their communities have been vying for an equitable alternative to the tolls in order to maintain the area's infrastructure and protect Aquidneck Island businesses.
"The commission allows lawmakers and officials from the affected state departments and agencies to come together for six months and map out various funding plans, potentially eradicating the need for a Sakonnet Bridge toll.''
Rep. Helio Melo, D-East Providence, and Sen. Daniel Da Ponte, D-East Providence, the chairmen of the House and Senate finance committees, will co-chair the study commission.
The meeting is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. No public testimony will be taken at this first meeting, which It will be broadcast live Capitol TV on Channel 15 for Cox Communications and Full Channel, as well as Channel 34 for Verizon.