McNeil Liberals force Cumberland residents to pay tolls for eight extra years
HALIFAX, NS – Progressive Conservative leader and MLA for Cumberland South Jamie Baillie wants to know why the McNeil government is condemning the motorists of Cumberland County to eight more years of tolls. He says it proves the Premier cannot be trusted on toll roads.
A freedom of information request obtained by the Official Opposition shows that on June 21 of this year the McNeil Liberals chose to extend the repayment schedule for the Cobequid Pass to 2026 (FOI page 3-4). Previous financial projections indicated the payments should have been finished in 2018-19.
“This is infuriating. It is wrong that the McNeil government snuck this change through and are forcing the people of Cumberland County to pay tolls on the Cobequid Pass for eight more years,” says Baillie. “Premier McNeil should apologize to the people of Cumberland County for this charade, and immediately put the Cobequid Pass back on schedule to be toll-free in 2018.”
The freedom of information request adds, “The Province was able to recognize higher levels of revenue as a result of this direction.” (FOI page 17)
Baillie says this is further proof the McNeil government cannot be trusted on toll roads.
“Cumberland motorists are not paying tolls to get a better road, they are paying tolls to improve the Liberal balance sheet,” says Baillie. “The Premier needs to tell the truth about what’s going on here and fix this immediately.”