HOUSE MINORITY LEADER CHIPPENDALE COMMENTS ON THE TRUCK TOLL RULING BY FEDERAL APPEALS COURT

 

State House, Providence – In response to Friday’s federal appeals court ruling that Rhode Island's suspended truck toll system is constitutional and can relaunch as long as daily toll caps that advantage in-state trucks are removed, House Minority Leader Michael Chippendale offers the following statement:

 

This was not a “good day” for Rhode Islanders and it is a very bad deal for Rhode Island businesses, as increased transportation costs are often passed through to consumers via increased product and services pricing. In January 2024, Wallethub ranked Rhode Island dead last for “Best and Worst States to Start a Business”, and in July, 2024 CNBC’s annual Best States for Business ranking placed Rhode Island 44th, receiving D grades for the economy, cost of living, access to capital and cost of doing business –we are in a race to the bottom to be the least business friendly state in the country and that is detrimental to all of Rhode Island. With rumored out-of-state moves from some of Rhode Island’s anchor corporations, this will be a difficult decision for the Governor, and legislative leaders – and the choice is clear:  punish Rhode Island truckers or do away with tolls altogether.

 

As Republicans stated since the initial RhodeWorks proposition in 2016, the plan to enact select tolls for in-state vs out-of-state tractor trailers was unconstitutional as proposed—and the amount of taxpayer dollars used over the years to install all the gantries and hire an out-of-state monitoring company - in addition to the legal fees to fight this folly is not a victory. Also, to now renege on the negotiated toll cap for local commercial trucking, which was part of the original deal for passage, is very concerning. The tolls should not be reinstated.

 

In January, 2025, the House Republican Caucus will introduce legislation to repeal the tolls entirely.  It is time for business-friendly leadership in Rhode Island and a new day for government fiscal management and responsibility.

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