KEY POLS MAY BE FEE FOES
DeLeo, Straus raise concerns as neighbors drop out of TCI gas plan
Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo is “concerned” about the lack of support garnered from New England states for the Transportation Climate Initiative as neighboring governors express doubts about the measure.
“There doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of support for the concept, at least that I see now,” DeLeo told reporters Wednesday. “What I’m especially concerned, what I was looking for as we went through this process, was to make sure especially that the New England states would be on board.”
Governors in New Hampshire, Connecticut, Vermont and Maine have already cast a shadow on the Transportation Climate Initiative, which would implement a gas fee to reduce carbon emissions. Officials have estimated the measure would raise gas prices between 5 to 17 cents per gallon in the first year but it remains unclear how high that cost could rise in subsequent years.
Critics of the initiative argue that Massachusetts could be put at an economic disadvantage if surrounding states pull out of the TCI, while Gov. Charlie Baker has countered that the purpose of a regional initiative is to ensure a level playing field. Baker’s office did not respond to requests for comment.
“Governors of those states, with I think the exception of Rhode Island, all have put up caution flags about the TCI,” House Transportation Committee
Chairman William Straus said. “It does seem, again in varying degrees, that the other near states, which the governor has identified as an important component for momentum for TCI so you wouldn’t have cross-border gas purchases, that basic argument for TCI seems to have become a more cloudy one.”
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu rejected the initiative almost immediately after a draft agreement was released last month, calling it a financial “boondoggle.” In an exclusive interview Tuesday with the Herald, Sununu acknowledged that the TCI would bring in a copious amount of revenue for the Bay State, but went so far as to say he would thank Massachusetts for joining.
“Thank you, because you’re going to drive all the business to New Hampshire,” Sununu told the Herald. “Everyone’s going to come over the border. You might as well shut down every gas station and convenience shop along the border. It would be really tough.”
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont earlier this week called the measure a “gas tax” that will punish drivers and Vermont Gov. Phil Scott said he cannot support proposals that will increase costs for commuters. Maine Gov. Janet Mills will be “appropriately cautious” as she “continues to monitor” the Initiative, a spokeswoman said last week.
In a statement, Baker’s office pushed back on the characterization of the TCI asagastax.
“Governor Baker opposes raising the gas tax and is pursuing a regional transportation and climate initiative to invest in public transportation, reduce emissions and cut congestion,” the statement read. “The initiative has support from members of both the business and environmental communities who believe this initiative will further mitigate the impacts of climate change, protect the health of our residents, and build a more resilient, sustainable and equitable transportation system for the next generation.”
DeLeo, who indicated Wednesday that he plans to file legislation to create revenue for transportation in the coming months, also said that the money collected from the TCI wouldn’t be available for two or three years.
“In terms of what’s been happening in terms of transportation, I don’t think we can wait that long,” DeLeo said.