Jim Cameron
How will the proposed transportation project freeze, commuter rail fare increases and schedule reductions affect Old Lyme?
Should we have tolls on our major highways?
What can be done to fix Metro-North?
Will the gasoline tax be raised?
What about high-speed rail?
Jim Cameron will speak to these concerns and answer questions on Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. at Old Lyme’s Memorial Town Hall. Cameron served 19 years on the Metro-North Commuter Council, four as its Chairman. In 2015 he formed a new advocacy organization, The Commuter Action Group.
His popular weekly newspaper column “Talking Transportation” appears in LymeLine.com.
Greg Stroud, founder of SECoast.org and a key activist against the proposed high-speed rail route, writes on the SECoast Facebook page, “Few people in Connecticut have a better grasp of transportation politics than Jim Cameron, a long-time commuter rail advocate, columnist, and key ally in our outreach to Fairfield County on the issue of high-speed rail. So we are excited to have Jim to speak and take questions on the proposed reduction of Shore Line East service, tolling, gas tax, etc. We highly recommend that you come with your questions.”
Stroud adds, “To kick off his visit, Jim has agreed to answer few questions for us, which we hope you will find provocative and informative. Take a look…
SECoast: How seriously should we take the Governor’s latest proposals for Shore Line East? Is this a real proposal to eliminate weekend service, and cut weekday service by more than half? Or do you see this as more of an effort to drum up support for additional transportation funding during coming budget negotiations?
JC: I take it as a very real (but unwanted) proposal. The last thing CDOT wants to do is cut service. But the alternatives to balance the Special Transportation Fund are few, though this is one. Only the legislature can finding funding alternatives (tolls, gas taxes) to avoid this.
SECoast: How do you see the results of the coming race for governor affecting coming decisions on tolling, gas taxes, commuter service, and the widening of I-95? How much does political party matter in this case? Do any of the candidates stand out in terms of transportation issues?
JC: This is not a partisan issue, nor should it be. But in my mind any candidate who is dismissing tolls as a “tax” are not being honest with voters. Tolls are users fees, paid by those who choose to use them. Who else should pay for our roads if not drivers? It’s early days yet in finding candidates who’ve embraced this issue so voters must keep asking candidates where they stand.
SECoast: Looking to the future, do you believe there will be tolling within 8 years? Two additional lanes on I-95 within 15 years? Significantly expanded high-speed rail within 30?
JC: I think the first and easiest step will be raising the gasoline tax. Remember, it was the legislature in 1997 that lowered that tax 14 cents a gallon, losing us $3.7 billion in money that could have been spent on transportation. Tolls I think will happen, but in 2-4 years. Widening I-95 between New Haven and RI makes sense and will probably happen… if money can be found. As for the FRA’s plans for HSR, I can’t predict given your and other groups’ successful lobbying against the plan.
You can find Jim Cameron on the web at: www.CommuterActionGroup.org and on Twitter at: @CTRailCommuters
For decades, transportation programs in Connecticut have been funded by a tax on gasoline and diesel fuels that goes into the Special Transportation Fund (STF.) The 25 cent gas tax has not changed since 2000, while vehicles have become more fuel efficient, both of which combined have resulted in a significant decrease in revenues.