Call made for Big Dig burden to be shared

Lawmakers from Boston's western suburbs yesterday called for an increase in the state's gas tax or new tolls on the Central Artery to stabilize state transportation budgets and take some of the burden off Massachusetts Turnpike commuters, who once again are facing big toll increases to pay for the Big Dig.

"We have to look at everything," said Representative David Linsky, a Democrat from Natick. "If the gas tax were raised 3 or 4 cents per gallon, we could eliminate the tolls on the Massachusetts Turnpike."

Senator Karen Spilka, a Framingham Democrat, also supports a hike in the state's 23.5 cent-per-gallon gas tax, which has not been increased since 1990, or new tolls on the Central Artery or other state roadways.

"Government shouldn't expect some small group of citizens to be supporting the Big Dig," she said. "That's what's happening and it's not fair. There has to be a shift - a real change in the way of thinking so that transportation is a priority of the state."

The lawmakers were reacting to the strong possibility that the Turnpike Authority will be forced to raise tolls by 50 cents to $1 on the highway and even more in the authority's tunnels to meet budget demands. Some lawmakers accused the Patrick administration of not acting quickly enough to avert a financial crisis at the beleaguered agency.

"For the last two years, we've been expecting the administration to put forth a total reorganization and finance plan, and it never came," said Linsky. "Now the Legislature is out of session, and they're going to raise tolls unless the Legislature acts by Jan. 1?"

With the looming hikes, Massachusetts Turnpike Authority board members would seek to generate at least $90 million more a year in revenue - $78 million more a year from toll booths and tunnels near Boston and another $12 million from western portions of the Pike.

Patrick administration officials said they will not ask for any additional revenue - including tolls on I-93 or a gas-tax hike - until they've eliminated every possible unnecessary expense.

"We're not going to ask riders of the Pike and other roads to bear any more of the burden until we've assured ourselves and the public that we've squeezed every legitimate reform and efficiency we can out of the system," said administration spokesman Joe Landolfi.

Landolfi said the administration is working on a comprehensive plan to reform the delivery and financing of transportation services, which will be unveiled "in the near future." The complex project has taken longer than expected, officials acknowledged.

Alan LeBovidge, turnpike executive director, said yesterday he's hoping the Legislature will come to the rescue and avert the need for a toll increase. He said that if lawmakers eliminated Fast Lane discount programs that now cost the Turnpike $18 million a year and raised its annual appropriation to the agency, currently capped at $25 million, huge toll hikes would be unnecessary, he said.

"I personally believe that is the right answer," he said. "Our problems stem from the Big Dig and the amount of debt and maintenance costs that were put on the Turnpike by the Legislature, much more than anyone anticipated."

But some legislators and financial experts suggested that nothing short of a major toll hike would be enough to bring stability to the troubled Turnpike.

"With the gas tax or [I-93] tolls off the table, I don't see any realistic alternative whatsoever," said Michael Widmer, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, a business-backed watchdog group.

"They need to have a major toll increase or the Turnpike will be driven into bankruptcy."

Patrick's efforts to cut fat or eliminate discount programs will not be sufficient to cover the turnpike's projected shortfall, he said. Nor can the state, which is facing its own budget crisis, afford a bailout, said Widmer.

"What are the odds the Legislature will vote to bail out the Turnpike Authority when there are about to be major cuts in important state programs?" he said.

"Cuts in healthcare, education, and maybe even local aid. In that environment, the Legislature is going to vote to give new revenues to the Turnpike Authority?" he said, chuckling.

House Minority Leader Bradley Jones, a Republican from North Reading, agreed that a legislative bailout is improbable.

"The last time I checked, no one was talking about how much money we have lying around," he said.

Toll increases might be palatable if the administration first takes dramatic steps such as abolishing the Turnpike Authority and making major budget cuts, said Jones.

"That would tell the public 'We get the message.' People are hurting and tired of throwing money down ratholes."

Commuters yesterday reacted angrily to the toll hikes being debated by the Turnpike Board - as much as $1 at the Weston and Allston-Brighton tollbooths, where tolls are currently $1.25, or as much as $5 at the Sumner and Ted Williams tunnels, where tolls are now $3.50.

The board is also looking at reinstating tolls on the western turnpike, Exits 1 through 6, and at West Newton. Both tolls were eliminated in 1996.

"Do you think anybody is going to say they want an increase?" said Barry Standish, 58, of Westfield.

"I don't think they should increase it. I think the Big Dig is way overblown. The amount of money they asked for originally and the amount they ended up spending was ridiculous."

Globe correspondent John M. Guilfoil contributed to this report.