Budget Recommendations Sent Without Bridge Toll Alternatives

Bridge toll opponents received some very bad news on Tuesday. 

The Rhode Island House Finance Committee sent its 2013-14 budget recommendations to the full House without any alternative funding plans instead of bridge tolls, according to Bill Clark, business director for the town of Portsmouth. 

"They did not include alternate funding for bridge maintenance which means they did nothing to stop new tolls," Clark wrote in an e-mail. 

"Now is the time to flood our reps and senators, and especially Speaker of the House, Gordon D. Fox, with e-mails and calls...

"Solve the statewide problem with a statewide solution." 

Legislators in the East Bay were fighting pending bridge tolls with pending bills, including H-6210. 

Bridge tolls are expected to begin on the new Sakonnet River Bridge in early July.