House Majority Leader Jason Osborne said he supports the concept of toll roads but opposes a proposed toll hike that would raise costs for drivers, NH Journal reports. The state Department of Transportation has cited a funding shortfall in its proposed Ten-Year Plan.
According to NH Journal, Osborne drew a clear line between favoring tolls and favoring higher tolls.
I’m a big fan of tolls,
Jason Osborne
The DOT plan spells out the gap it is trying to close.
It says there is a $400 million funding shortfall for the $2.46 billion plan and proposes a $1 increase at the state’s toll plazas.
NH Journal
The proposal identifies where drivers would pay more, NH Journal notes.
The Hampton toll would increase from $2 to $3, while the tolls in Hooksett and Bedford would jump from $1 to $2.
NH Journal
The department says costs are outrunning revenue.
“Revenue is relatively flat and lower than previous projections,” while “project and operating costs are going up,” according to the proposal.
NH Journal
Gov. Kelly Ayotte has said she opposes the increase, NH Journal reports.
“Unlike our neighbor to the south, we won’t be MASSing up our tolls,” Ayotte told NHJournal.
NH Journal
Lawmakers in both parties acknowledge gas taxes no longer fully cover road costs, though the state fares better than its neighbors.
New Hampshire’s tax collections only cover about 80 percent of that spending, according to the Tax Foundation .
NH Journal
Osborne’s comments came at an Americans for Prosperity-New Hampshire roundtable, where he distinguished between the state’s gas-tax shortfall and the finances of its toll roads, NH Journal reports. While both parties agree gas-tax collections no longer cover the full cost of roads, Osborne argues the toll system does not face the same gap.
The clash over the toll proposal previews a broader debate about how New Hampshire pays for its roads in the years ahead, NH Journal reports. With Ayotte and Osborne both opposed to higher tolls and the Department of Transportation pointing to a substantial shortfall, the Ten-Year Plan is likely to face significant revision before it is finalized.
The dispute centers on the Department of Transportation’s proposed 2027-2036 Ten-Year Plan, which cites a $400 million shortfall against a $2.46 billion plan and proposes a $1 increase at the state’s toll plazas, NH Journal reports. Tolls at Hampton, Hooksett, and Bedford would all rise under the proposal.
Osborne says he supports the concept of toll roads but opposes raising rates, and Ayotte has said flatly that she will not back a hike, according to NH Journal. While both parties acknowledge gas taxes no longer cover the full cost of roads, Osborne argues the toll system does not face the same gap, setting up a broader debate about how the state pays for its roads.
The clash over the toll proposal previews a broader debate about how New Hampshire pays for its roads in the years ahead, NH Journal reports. With Ayotte and Osborne both opposed to higher tolls and the Department of Transportation pointing to a substantial shortfall, the Ten-Year Plan is likely to face significant revision before it is finalized.
Read the full story at NH Journal.
