The Legislature’s Government Oversight Committee has voted against requesting a review of the proposed 26 percent toll increase on the Maine Turnpike.
Members voted 7-2 to take no action on a request from Sen. Margaret Craven, D-Lewiston, to have the proposal reviewed by the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability.
Craven and Rep. Andrea Boland, D-Sanford, were the only members of the committee to support a review and vote against the motion.
Maine Turnpike Authority Executive Director Peter Mills told the committee that the toll increase is unavoidable and fully expected, based on a debt payment schedule that was set years ago.
Mills also said the authority’s board is considering ways to minimize the burden on residents in the Lewiston-Auburn region, who have complained they pay an unfair share.
While Craven said she wanted a review of the inequities in the toll structure, other committee members said the turnpike authority has a public review process to address it.
The turnpike authority will hold at least two more public hearings in the coming weeks and could vote on a toll increase plan on July 19.
Staff Writer John Richardson can be contacted at 791-6324 or at:
jrichardson@pressherald.com
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