Debate on fares and fairness intensifies

Metrowest lawmakers demanded lower Massachusetts Turnpike tolls yesterday, arguing that commuters from western suburbs have for years shouldered an unfair share of Big Dig costs.

At a combative hearing on Beacon Hill, lawmakers from districts west of Boston stood to confront a panel that is considering the future of the state's roads and bridges.

"It's the feeling of my constituents that they are being unfairly penalized" by tolls, said Representative Pam Richardson, a Framingham Democrat.

The aggrieved Metrowest lawmakers have introduced a host of bills as alternatives to the planned 25 percent increase in turnpike tolls in January, including proposals for special toll discounts for western commuters, for placing new toll booths on state borders, and for increasing the state gas tax.

Another among the 39 bills addressing tolls and state highways would reduce turnpike tolls for motorcyclists, while another would do the same for military veterans. Some of the bills would eliminate all turnpike tolls, while others would freeze them at current rates.

Most members of the Joint Transportation Committee cast doubt on the proposals yesterday, saying that the bills seemed to be vehicles for lawmakers to throw out their ideas, rather than serious pieces of legislation.

Committee members also said they were wary of considering anything affecting tolls or taxes related to transportation until they have devised a more sweeping plan to pay for the state's deteriorating infrastructure.

"Any fix ought to be a big fix," said state Representative Joseph Wagner, a Chicopee Democrat who serves as a committee cochairman.

The state is considering a historic overhaul of transportation financing, with lawmakers and Governor Deval Patrick struggling to determine how to pay for an estimated $16 billion to $19 billion of infrastructure repairs over the next 20 years. At the same time, state residents are frustrated and angry over rising tolls, spiraling Big Dig costs, worsening traffic, and crumbling roadways.

An independent commission formed by lawmakers and a Patrick administration group are also separately studying the issue.

State Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen yesterday sent the committee a letter warning members that if any of the bills were passed, it would complicate the drafting of the comprehensive plan.

"Our concern is that the passage of any of this legislation has the potential to negatively impact this effort," he wrote, adding that the Patrick administration's review of the issue would be completed by the end of this year.

The independent commission reported in March the financial crisis in transportation is so dire that the planned 25 percent turnpike toll increase might be inadequate to meet the system's needs and that the state's pledge to eliminate tolls on the turnpike by 2017 should be reconsidered.

But with action unlikely for months -- and perhaps not until next year -- Metrowest lawmakers said their constituents need relief now.

"Our primary concern is to create a fair situation," said state Representative Alice Peisch , a Wellesley Democrat. "We can't continue this unfair system."

Funds from turnpike tolls are used not only to maintain, repair, and pay off the bonds on Interstate 90, but also for the Big Dig, whose price tag recently crept up to nearly $15 billion. Metrowest lawmakers said the entire state benefits from the Big Dig because of easier trips through Boston and an improved economic landscape, but turnpike drivers paid much of the cost. The tolls generate about $114 million a year, much of which covers Big Dig costs.

"It's critical for my constituents that if a toll increase goes forward that we put in a discount for Metrowest commuters," said Representative David Linsky , a Natick Democrat. "We have a system that is grossly unfair to people in the western suburbs."

Mary Z. Connaughton , who represents the western suburbs on the Turnpike Authority board, suggested any lost revenue from giving western commuters a toll break could be made up by increasing the state gas tax by 9 cents to 32.5 cents per gallon. She said her calculations indicated that such an increase would cost the average motorist $68 annually while generating $270 million in new revenue. She also noted that the gas tax had not been increased in 17 years.

"This is a way to more fairly distribute the burden," said Connaughton.

But last year, when Turnpike Authority members suggesting raising the gas tax to end turnpike tolls west of Route 128, Patrick opposed the idea. Connaughton's proposal drew sharp responses from committee members yesterday.

"People in Chicopee would balk at paying 9 cents [more]," Wagner said. "The public would not be accepting of that."

The committee's other cochairman, state Senator Steven A. Baddour, a Methuen Democrat, chimed in: "The idea of raising gas taxes at this point, with gas prices going through the roof, simply doesn't make sense."

Raja Mishra can be reached at rmishra@globe.com.