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Commissions weigh timing of a 50% low‑income toll discount in rate scenarios
Summary
Commissioners and public commenters debated whether a 50% low-income discount should begin at the start of pre‑completion tolling (2028) or wait until the new bridge opens; staff noted all four modeled scenarios include a low‑income option, differing only in timing.
Several public commenters and multiple commissioners urged that a 50% low-income discount be available at the outset of tolling to reduce economic burden on low‑income drivers. Stantec’s analysis included a 50% discount assumption for eligible households (household income within 200% of the federal poverty line) and modeled a 60% enrollment rate among eligible users; analysts estimated low‑income discounts would represent 4–6% of annual transactions and 2–3% of gross revenues under modeled assumptions.
Commissioner Phil Chang and others said they favored early implementation: "If we're trying to provide relief to low income people it should start sooner than later," Chang said. Staff noted the scenarios differ on timing: scenarios 1–2 assume the low‑income discount is in place when the new bridge opens, while scenarios 3–4 assume the discount takes effect as soon as practical (in modeling this was the pre-completion toll start). Commissioners asked staff to analyze administrative feasibility and costs for early roll-out.
