Official says he opposes hike in tolls on turnpike

The state transportation secretary said yesterday that he is "not prepared to support" a toll increase on the Massachusetts Turnpike and is calling a joint meeting of the state's major transportation agency leaders in hope of heading one off.

Secretary Bernard Cohen's statement came on the same day that Turnpike Authority board member Thomas Stephens resigned and a week after the Legislature voted on a plan to back about $1 billion in turnpike debt and investment obligations to protect the agency from insolvency.

The Pike will consider toll increases over the next few months, and the agency's financial situation will make them very difficult to avoid.

Other transportation agencies are also in peril. This week, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority General Manager Daniel A. Grabauskas warned of a possible fare increase on the state's mass transit system.

Cohen said in a prepared statement that the meeting Monday would include the commissioner of the Highway Department, the general manager of the Turnpike Authority, the chief executive officer of the Massachusetts Port Authority, and Grabauskas.

"I plan to discuss how we can collectively tackle the challenges we are facing through cost savings, efficiencies, and reforms with the goal of preventing further burdens being placed on consumers," he said. The Turnpike Authority and the MBTA are holding billions of dollars in debt, and carrying multimillion-dollar deficits.

"As I have said many times, we are working hard to identify reforms, cut waste, and become more efficient," Cohen said.

Cohen and other members of Governor Deval Patrick's administration have been working on efforts to find savings in the agencies for months, including a possible merger, but have yet to present a plan that would shore up their financial situation.

Noah Bierman can be reached at nbierman@globe.com.