Senate Majority Leader Frederick E. Berry (D-Peabody), along with fifteen of his colleagues from the North Shore, has contacted MassPort in unified opposition to plans to increase the toll on the Tobin Bridge from $2.00 to $3.00. In a letter to MassPort CEO Craig Coy, the legislators also faulted MassPort for proceeding with the proposed increase without first reviewing a legislatively mandated report studying ways to alleviate the toll burden in Massachusetts.

“It’s outrageous for MassPort to even consider a toll increase until they have reviewed this report,” said Berry. “Their arrogance and their disdain for North Shore residents who commute over the bridge every day is infuriating.”

In 2002, the legislature created a special advisory committee to review how bridge and highway tolls are distributed throughout Massachusetts. The committee was charged with reviewing eighteen different issues related to tolls in Massachusetts, including ways to more fairly distribute the toll burden throughout the Commonwealth.

Most importantly, the law that created the advisory committee also prohibited MassPort from enacting any toll increase until 90 days after the submission of the committee’s final report. The final report has yet to be completed as of this date.

“We boycotted the hearings on this matter because they make a mockery of our effort to protect our constituents from becoming targets of unjust tax hikes,” the legislators said in their letter to MassPort.