A group of Rhode Island mayors and town and city managers won’t be weighing in on truck tolls as a group, although their communities are slated for gantries according to plans recently released by Gov. Gina Raimondo.

“I’m going to stay neutral. It is up to the General Assembly to decide for the citizens of Rhode Island,” Johnston Mayor Joseph Polisena said Wednesday.

The Coalition of Mayors and Town Administrators and Managers Improving Rhode Island met Wednesday at the Johnston Senior Center to discuss several issues. In addition to truck tolls, Polisena said the group talked about state aid to municipalities, state requirements for property revaluations, and arbitration.

Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian and Cranston Mayor Alan Fung were in attendance, as well as Lt. Gov. Daniel McKee, who Polisena called the unofficial head of the group based on the fact he was the highest-ranking elected official in attendance and a former mayor.

Generally, Polisena said, the 15 to 16 municipal officials in attendance agreed that state senators and representatives should represent the citizens when it comes to truck tolls, as the tolls will be on state roads and the money generated will be used to repair state bridges.

“It was brought up,” he said of the tolls, “and we agreed we’re going to do our own thing.” He said information about the governor’s program is lacking, further making it difficult to take a position.

Nonetheless, Polisena has concerns with the plan. He noted the gantry proposed for Johnston at Route 6 and 295 might have truck drivers using town roads to avoid the toll. He is also fearful the plan could impact the two major trucking companies in Johnston, calling tolls “an impediment to the business community.”

On the other hand, if the state was looking to share toll revenues with cities and towns, Polisena could be convinced.

“If I get a cut, I’d be leading the charge,” he said.

As for public opinion, Polisena said he regularly talks with constituents, and he finds strong opposition to truck tolls. He imagines state legislators are hearing the same thing.

The coalition was started about four years ago when leaders from Johnston, North Providence, Cumberland, and Lincoln started meeting. He said it has grown to include a majority of top municipal leaders. He said the leaders leave their party affiliations at the door at the meetings.

Polisena said there was consensus that there should be a pool of local neutral arbitrators, rather than ones from out of state, for arbitration cases.

“Their people are from out of state and they could care less,” Polisena said the American Arbitration Association based in East Providence.

He suggests that retired Rhode Island judges act as arbitrators.

As for statistical property revaluations, which are mandated every three years, Polisena said there was agreement that five years would be preferable.

Polisena said cities and towns have an advocate in House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello.

“We have a speaker who is a proponent of the taxpayers,” he said. He said he is confident Mattiello will do the right thing for municipalities, including whether the state moves ahead with the governor’s tuck toll plan.