'No Higher Tolls'

About 1,000 people protest bridge toll increases at hearing in Perryville

Hundreds of people packed the auditorium, cafeteria and hallways of Perryville High School on Thursday night to make their opposition to proposed Susquehanna River bridges toll increases be heard loud and clear by the Maryland Transportation Authority.

About 120 people had signed up to testify at the public hearing an hour after the start of the public hearing, one of many the MdTA has been holding around the state.

An hour and a half into the meeting, the speakers had only been state and local government officials.

The overflowing crowd, however, which comprised about 1,000 people at its peak, made its views known by its presence alone.

People seated in the auditorium waved signs demanding "No Higher Tolls Hatem Bridge" and cheered and shouted throughout the testimonies of the government speakers.

Outside, signs on vehicles included messages like "MTA = Money Taking [Expletive]."

A smaller rally also took advantage of the crowds to collect signatures for a petition to repeal a state bill that would give tuition breaks to illegal immigrants. That tent also attracted a steady flow of people.

"The only people in the state of Maryland who pay to use I-95 are the good citizens of Cecil County," Del.

David Rudolph, who represents western Cecil, said. "A citizen of Montgomery County can go to work in Baltimore City every single day and not pay a toll and the citizens of Cecil County do, and that is not fair. Right now we are not being treated equally."

Rudolph said there should be a $10 transportation toll for Maryland residents and a $40 fee for out-of-state drivers.

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