Tolls are road use fees that are the fairest way to provide funding for transportation infrastructure that is critical to our economic future. I would be happy to pay my share for having better roads when driving in Connecticut, as I do when I use my EZ-Pass in other states. Out-of-state cars and trucks should also be paying directly for their road use in Connecticut, to ease the maintenance burden of Connecticut taxpayers.

The proposed Republican alternative is either going to be inadequate to do the job or is going to drain other needed resources and borrow more when Connecticut's debt is already too high. Rail and road improvements provide local jobs and spur the economy, and congestion pricing on tolls has been proven in other states to be a major benefit to traffic control.

Opposing tolls may have proved popular, but is fiscally irresponsible.

Dr. David B. Bingham

Salem