Senate to Vote on Governor's Budget, Bridge Ownership Today
The Senate could vote later today on the budget, which includes a proposal to transfer ownership of the Sakonnet River Bridge to the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority.
The Rhode Island Senate is expected to vote today on the 2013 budget bill, 2012-H 7323Aaa, which includes a proposal to transfer ownership of the Sakonnet River Bridge.
The 2013 $8.1-million spending plan, which was passed by the House of Representatives early in the morning of June 8, was heard by the Senate Committee on Finance on Friday, which subsequently reported the bill out for a vote by the full chamber.
The governor's budget includes a proposal to transfer ownership of the new Sakonnet River Bridge from the Department of Transportation to the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority, ultimately anticipating tolls to be placed on the span of Route 24 connecting Tiverton to Portsmouth.
The Senate floor session is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.
In addition, the Committee approved legislation, sponsored by Education Committee Chairwoman Hanna M. Gallo (D – Dist. 27, Cranston), to establish a program to incentive school districts to offer full-day kindergarten programs.
This bill, 2012-S 2534, is also scheduled for Senate consideration on Monday.
Chris St Peter
12:56 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
I Hope They Don't Pass This In The Full Chamber. They Probably Will Though. The Full Chamber Is Probably Only 4 People. The Rest Of Them Can't Be Bothered To Show Up. Have You Ever Watched CSPAN? There's Never Anyone At These Votes. The Only People There Are The Ones Who Want To Pass This Thing. What's With All The Obama Ads On Patch Lately? "Win Dinner With Michelle And Barrack" No Thanks, I'm Sure He Would Have To Go To The Bathroom As Soon As The Bill Arrived, And I'd Get Stuck Paying For Dinner. Damn Democrats.
Scott
1:29 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
It will pass, because they want to rush though and end this years session.
Andrew Naylor
3:54 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
So no toll on the Mount Hope bridge Was this the game plan all along I wonder ?
There has to be 1 free way off the island.
To help keep the tolls down to Locals and commuters maybe the RIDOT should be fined $1m a year for every year the Sakonnet bridge has had a weigh limit on it putting excessive ware on the Mount Hope bridge which the RITBA will have to repair. This should be paid to the RITBA ( about $7m at the rate of $1m per year from the day the new bridge opens
A weight or assess only limit will need placing on the Mount Hope bridge to stop heave truck avoid the toll on the Sakonnet bridge, Car drivers will have the choice of driving round to avoid the toll but not commercial trucks .
East side
4:11 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
Exactly why a toll is needed. In the future, if no repair is done, we'll be in the same position we are in today. Except, there won't be room for a new bridge.
Robert E
5:06 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
Andrew that is a myth there does not have to be a free way off the island they can toll all bridges if they want and if more people start to use the Mt. Hope you will see a toll on that one too. So many people think they can't toll all bridges I don't know how this got started but there is no law that says this just someone said it one day and it just went form one person to another until everyone says that they can't do it when in fact they can. East side a toll is not needed to maintain this bridge they just don't want to budget the money insted they want to give it to Curt Shilling and the EBEC and other wasted projects.The new Westerly AmtrakStation built with DOT and Fed. funds cost 44 million and currentl only 139 regular users of this new state of the art DOT facility the cost per user " $ 316,546.76 " We have the money for this but need tolls on Aquidneck Island.
getreal
6:01 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
Robert E, you are right and now also add public transit and how they want to now buy all new buses to the fleet for RIMTA.....This is also a bottomless well that needs more money every year to keep it solvent.
getreal
6:02 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
RIMTA also comes out of DOT funds....
Mark D
3:44 pm on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
RIPTA " the Buses" budget comes out of the gas tax and federal monies. Not out of the DOT Budget. It only come out of the DOT budget if you think that all the gas tax revenue should go to the DOT. Which I believe it should. We really have to to care of our roads. Without any roads there is nothing for the buses to drive on. Over a third of our state budget goes to health and human services. That is just ridiculous, we are the only state that has no residences requirement to received welfare, you can move here tomorrow and get welfare. There is no disincentive to welfare, we in fact incentives welfare. It is easy to sit back and collect than go out and earn a paycheck.
getreal
5:07 pm on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Mark D. , I did not know over a third of our state budget goes to Health and Human Services and add free welfare the day you move in ? This is a major reason why this state is screwed up. Why was this not brought up with this years budget ? TIME FOR A CHANGE at the MARBLE PALACE in Providence !!