Toll Equity Trust Blog

Listen to Jan Schlichtmann on WRKO AM680 discuss the new transportation bill that includes toll equity, and the reform that the new law represents.

Also, check out the The Daily Item article, “Transportation plan holds off immediate cost hikes”.

(NECN) - On Beacon Hill, heads are spinning. On Tuesday, they signed off on pension reform. Today, the Senate adopted a major overhaul of state transportation. It would include abolishing the Turnpike Authority.

Former Massachusetts Attorney General Scott Harshbarger has some strong views on the reforms, and joins Chet Curtis to share them.

Also check out the WBZ-TV report about the bill. The toll equity provision is mentioned near the end of the video.

Scott Harshbarger and Jan Schlichtmann sit down with WGBH Greater Boston’s Emily Rooney.

Additionally, a Marblehead Reporter editorial quoted Representative Lori Ehrlich:

“The Principles at the core of this lawsuit such as fairness, equity and potentially unlawful taxation are what I have been discussing since last fall’s announcement that tunnel tolls were going to double to $7,” Ehrlich said after the hearing. “This inequity, which is literally putting jobs out of reach for people in our region, was set up in 1997. Attempts to finally fix it are playing out in all three branches of government.”

Jan Schlichtmann talks with Tom and Todd about Monday’s pretrial hearing.

Monday Morning Quarterbacks Scott Harshbarger and Joe Malone discuss toll equity.

Channel 5’s Pam Cross reported on the Toll Equity suit, “Pike Users Strike Back, File Tolls Lawsuit”. Be sure to check out the great video coverage on the site.

Jan R. Schlichtmann, the attorney who gained fame battling a chemical company and ended up as the main character in a Hollywood movie about the case, is leading a team of lawyers filing the suit that includes former state Attorney General Scott Harshbarger and former Gov. Mitt Romney counsel Daniel B. Winslow.

The class-action lawsuit includes 1,650 plaintiffs from 21 states who say tolls are supposed to be used for the use of the Turnpike rather than the $13 billion Big Dig project.

The lawsuit, filed in Middlesex District Court, asserts that 58 percent of tolls collected go to paying for Big Dig roads.

To pay for the returned tolls, the state would have to choose between raising taxes, imposing tolls on Interstate 93, or requiring the Turnpike Authority to sell some of its real estate, the Boston Globe reported.

Scott Harshbarger and Jan Schlichtmann talk to NECN in their feature “Lawsuit against Turnpike gains momentum”

Suing the Turnpike Authority

Former MA Attorney General Scott Harshberger discusses the lawsuit with WBZ’s Ed Walsh.

Tom and Todd interview Jan Schlichtmann and discuss suing the Pike on WRKO.

Jan also sat down with Steve Brown of 90.9 WBUR. Listen to the interview or read the summary here.