Democrats wary as Lamont prepares to pitch transportation proposal

Gov. Ned Lamont will walk into the Senate Democratic majority caucus Wednesday morning to pitch CT2030, his new $21 billion transportation plan, knowing he has yet to find a fullthroated champion for it among fellow Democrats in the upper chamber, only quiet sympathizers, wary skeptics and a few resolute opponents.

The governor is expected to reiterate what he told the House Democratic majority on Friday: He sees CT2030 as crucial to growing Connecticut’s stagnant economy, and anyone opposed to the limited highway tolls in his financing plan should be prepared to support an alternative capable of raising the same $320 million a year.

“You’ve got to have an alternative,” Lamont said. “I think people know now we need to do it. The question is how do you pay for it?”

Senate President Pro Tem Martin M. Looney, DNew Haven, said Monday that his caucus remains wary of embracing tolls without some Republican support — something that Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano, RNorth Haven, conceded was unlikely with the GOP already deep at work on a tollsfree alternative.

Fasano said the governor has a reasonable rationale for limited tolling: A toll is a user fee and an estimated 40 percent of the new revenue would come from out of state drivers. But he said the governor cannot overcome Republican suspicions that the number and price of tolls would increase, even if Lamont’s proposal would fix the scope and pricing in law.

“A lot of people would say if you paid for something you use, it makes sense,” Fasano said. “It’s a trustingovernment issue and future legislatures and legislators that are are going to say, ‘Tolls are here, let’s do more.’ And that’s where the plan is running into a wall.”

Looney was careful Monday not to rule out his caucus eventually being sold on CT2030, saying he had yet to gauge support since last week’s rollout. But

Looney also said he expects Democrats to explore alternatives to tolls, including the legalization of sports betting and recreational marijuana.

Democrats hold a 2214 advantage in the 36seat Senate. Eleven are firstterm senators, and five are in seats wrested from Republicans in 2018. Lamont could afford to lose no more than four Democratic votes and still pass CT2030. A tie would be broken by the presiding officer, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz.

Rankandfile Senate Democrats reacted cautiously, if not cooly, to CT2030 in interviews Friday and Monday, noting opposition to tolls has taken root since Lamont’s initial proposal in February and was a factor in some municipal races last week.

“I think the boat was missed,” said Sen. Cathy Osten, DSprague.

“I really wish this was the plan or the approach in February,” said Sen. Norman Needleman, DEssex, noting that the new plan outlines projects to be built, an oversight February. “It’s not starting with, ‘Give me the money, and trust me’ ”