A transportation forum that was to be held tonight in Westport has been postponed, but there's still a controversy about the event. It was being organized by State Senator Will Haskell, whose district includes Ridgefield and part of Bethel. He asked Governor Ned Lamont and Transportation Commission Joseph Giulietti to speak about the 2030 transportation plan.
The forum was postponed because the legislative caucuses are scheduled to meet at the state capital today.
The Middletown Press reports that Haskell reached out to a pro-tolls Westport-based grassroots organization, to gauge interest in the forum. A member of the group send out an email to members with the subject line, “TOP SECRET & URGENT: Gov. Lamont Needs YOU."
The conservative think tank Yankee Institute wrote that the email shows coordination between Lamont and toll supporters to hold the town meeting. The Yankee Institute opposes highway tolls for Connecticut. The governor’s office denied any coordination with the grass roots group and said the administration had no advance knowledge of the email.
The body of the email said "We have advance notice of this event, thanks to Senator Will Haskell and Gov. Lamont's office, and we want to keep that advantage over the plan's ‘No Tolls’ opponents as long as possible.”
The Press reports that a link in the email to RSVP for the forum opened a poll created by Angela Liptack, a pro-tolls supporter from Ridgefield, who is not a staffer for either Lamont or Haskell. Haskell said he was waiting to publicize the forum until he could confirm Lamont and Giulietti would attend.
Lamont is scheduled to appear at a public meeting this weekend in Westport to discuss his proposed transportation plan, which could include highway tolls. Haskell says improving infrastructure is a top concern for his constituents. He wants them to hear directly from the administration at this town hall meeting.
After finding a date to work around everyone's schedules, he hopes people of all political opinions attend to share their thoughts on how to get faster trains and safer roads.
