Malloy said tolls would only generate a third of what's needed.
Governor Dannel Malloy has formed a nonpartisan working group that will spend the next several months coming up with options to fund his proposed 30-year, $100 billion overhaul of Connecticut's transportation system.
The Democrat said Tuesday his new Transportation Finance Panel will recommend some financing options to him by the end of the summer.
"I'm very encouraged by how robust the discussion about transportation is and how supportive the conversation is. But the conversation cannot be completed until we know how we're going to pay for it," Malloy said.
The group's work will finish after the General Assembly's scheduled adjournment in June. Malloy said in the meantime he hopes lawmakers approve his five-year, $2.8 billion plan to begin planning, engineering, and design work for some key highway and rail projects.
He said it's up to lawmakers if they want to proceed with legislation that could lead to electronic highway tolls.
He said tolls would only generate a third of what's needed.
The governor’s Transportation Finance Panel is comprised of experts in transportation, finance, and economic development.
Its members will include:
- Cameron Staples (Chair): President and CEO, New England Association of Schools and Colleges; Former Co-Chair of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, Connecticut General Assembly
- Beth Osborne: Senior Policy Advisor, Transportation for America; Former Acting Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy, U.S. Department of Transportation
- William Bonvillian: Director, Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Washington, D.C. Office
- Joan Carty: President and CEO, Housing Development Fund
- Bert Hunter: Chief Investment Officer, Connecticut Green Bank
- Oz Griebel: President and CEO, MetroHartford Alliance
- Paul Timpanelli: President and CEO, Bridgeport Regional Business Council
- Stanley Mickus: Marketing and Public Affairs, Cross Sound Ferry Services
- Emil Frankel: Consultant on transportation policy; Former Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Transportation (1991-1995); Former Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy, U.S. Department of Transportation (2002-2005)
Ray Hardman contributed to this report, which includes information from the Associated Press.