Increased ferry tolls would be delayed yet again under a provision contained in a budget technical corrections bill tentatively approved by the House. The ferry toll issue, after receiving substantial debate over budgets passed this year and last, wasn’t even mentioned during House floor debate on Wednesday night. It remains unclear whether the Senate will go along with the House, which had opposed the higher ferry tolls in its proposed budget. The budget bill approved last week moved ahead with plans to increase the number of coastal ferry routes subject to tolls, while keeping ferries between Ocracoke and Hatteras islands and those connecting Knotts Island with mainland Currituck County free and delaying tolls for a ferry linking Cherry Branch and Minnesott Beach. That budget provision also said that Gov. Beverly Perdue’s executive order halting ferry toll increases was not to be in effect. The latest provision drops that language.
(THE INSIDER)
06/28/12
