Woonsocket Radio News Room

HOUSE MINORITY LEADER CHIPPENDALE COMMENTS ON THE TRUCK TOLL RULING BY FEDERAL APPEALS COURT

 

State House, Providence – In response to Friday’s federal appeals court ruling that Rhode Island's suspended truck toll system is constitutional and can relaunch as long as daily toll caps that advantage in-state trucks are removed, House Minority Leader Michael Chippendale offers the following statement:

 

This was not a “good day” for Rhode Islanders and it is a very bad deal for Rhode Island businesses, as increased transportation costs are often passed through to consumers via increased product and services pricing. In January 2024, Wallethub ranked Rhode Island dead last for “Best and Worst States to Start a Business”, and in July, 2024 CNBC’s annual Best States for Business ranking placed Rhode Island 44th, receiving D grades for the economy, cost of living, access to capital and cost of doing business –we are in a race to the bottom to be the least business friendly state in the country and that is detrimental to all of Rhode Island. With rumored out-of-state moves from some of Rhode Island’s anchor corporations, this will be a difficult decision for the Governor, and legislative leaders – and the choice is clear:  punish Rhode Island truckers or do away with tolls altogether.

 

As Republicans stated since the initial RhodeWorks proposition in 2016, the plan to enact select tolls for in-state vs out-of-state tractor trailers was unconstitutional as proposed—and the amount of taxpayer dollars used over the years to install all the gantries and hire an out-of-state monitoring company - in addition to the legal fees to fight this folly is not a victory. Also, to now renege on the negotiated toll cap for local commercial trucking, which was part of the original deal for passage, is very concerning. The tolls should not be reinstated.

 

In January, 2025, the House Republican Caucus will introduce legislation to repeal the tolls entirely.  It is time for business-friendly leadership in Rhode Island and a new day for government fiscal management and responsibility.

Subzero conditions are bringing the chill to the eastern third of the country this week. Strong gusty winds will lead to dangerous wind chills, prompting extreme cold warnings and watches for the northern Plains and the Upper Midwest. More severe weather will be on the way as a major winter storm is expected to impact a huge area from Texas to the East Coast from Friday through the weekend.        President Trump says the framework of a long-term deal on Greenland is in place. Shortly after announcing the deal framework in a post on Truth Social, Trump told reporters the deal gives the U.S. everything it needs. He went on to call it an "infinite deal" that would last "forever."        ICE's latest operation is underway in Maine this week. According to Fox News, authorities arrested more than 50 people on Tuesday and more arrests were taking place on Wednesday. ICE Deputy Assistant Director Patricia Hyde said there are "approximately 14-hundred targets" in Maine, and it comes as part of the Trump administration's broader crackdown against illegal immigrants.        The YouTuber credited by Republicans for uncovering "billions of dollars" in fraud in Minnesota says his peers are done putting up with fraud in the government. Nick Shirley was one of four witnesses to appear before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance. Minnesota Democrat Governor Tim Walz said the firestorm from the fraud investigation was the main reason he's not seeking re-election.        A Navy admiral removed by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth says she's running for Congress. Three-star admiral Nancy Lacore was the head of the Navy Reserve before Hegseth removed her last August. On Tuesday Lacore registered to run for South Carolina's 1st Congressional District as a Democrat.        Heart disease is still the number one cause of death in the U.S. but fewer people are dying from it. That's according to a new report from the American Heart Association. The report shows heart disease death rates have dropped for the first time in five years.       

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