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The House Majority Leader in the General Assembly wants state transportation officials to put off setting variable toll rates for the Intercounty Connector to let the state legislature decide on the policy in the next session.

Del. Kumar P. Barve (D-Dist. 17) of Gaithersburg, who is also chairman of the Revenue Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee, said that the state's tax and transportation policy falls under the jurisdiction of the committee.

"The state of Maryland has many toll-financed transportation facilities, but to my knowledge, none of them employ variable pricing," Barve said in his written comments on the proposed toll rates for the ICC.

"Stated simply, I am highly inclined to oppose any scheme that would allow for higher tolls during morning and evening rush hour," Barve continued. "I say highly inclined because, as I have said, the issue really has not been debated openly and exhaustively in the state legislature."

The proposed tolls for a 17.5-mile stretch of the eventual 18.8-mile highway call for cars to pay 25 cents to 35 cents per mile during peak morning and evening rush hours. A full round-trip commute at 35 cents a mile would cost an automobile driver $12.25 a day, or more than $3,000 a year.

The variable toll pricing proposal is a "major shift in public policy," Barve said.

"The ICC is probably the most inappropriate road upon which to use this tool," he said.