Dant Chesser votes no on bill increasing tolls

Today, April 17, the Indiana House of Representatives concurred with the Senate’s changes to House Bill 1461, sending the bill to the governor’s desk. The bill allows the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) to add tolls to roads and bridges without protections for communities already within proximity to existing tolls. 

State Rep. Wendy Dant Chesser (D-Jeffersonville) released the following statement: 

“We cannot have more tolling in Southern Indiana. No one likes potholes, but potentially increasing tolls in Indiana is a massive deterrent. My goal as a legislator is to reflect the thoughts of my community, and I have heard their opinions about tolling loud and clear. 

“Frankly, I don’t blame them. The cost of crossing our tolled bridges is $5.22 without a prepaid account. We have a regional economy, so we’re not bound by state lines. People are crossing the bridges often to work or go to school. Last summer, trying to get everything figured out with the RiverLink tolls was chaos. INDOT worked hard to remedy this situation, but that was a stressful situation for those affected. 

“I voted no on this bill because it’s in the best interest of my community.”