BOSTON - A group of local officials, ranging from Boston Mayor Tom Menino to several state legislators, railed against a proposed toll increase at a hearing of the Joint Committee on Transportation Wednesday.

The hearing, the third of four on the challenges faces the state's transportation system, was intended to focus on proposed legislation that would increase the state's gas tax as an alternative way to increase revenue. But before that was discussed, several lawmakers expressed the outrage of their constituents with regards to the proposed toll hikes.

"The people of Boston are outraged," Menino said in a crowded hearing room in the State House. "Doubling the tolls in and around Boston is the wrong answer."

Under the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority and Gov. Deval Patrick's plan, tolls would be removed west of Route 128 except at the state's borders and doubled to $7 at the tunnels servicing Logan International Airport. The proposal also calls for eliminating the Turnpike Authority.

Menino said that he spoke with Patrick on Tuesday about the proposal and urged the committee to "freeze the turnpike's ability to increase tolls." Before tolls are increased, Menino added, "a comprehensive plan must be vetted and acted upon quickly."

If the tolls are increased the city's economy would suffer, Menino said, and traffic would significantly increase making it harder for fire engines, police cars and ambulances to respond to emergencies.

State Rep. Steven Walsh, a Lynn Democrat who has introduced legislation that would freeze tolls rates until the governor presents a comprehensive plan, echoed Menino's remarks. The proposed toll hike, he said, would be the largest single toll increase in the history of Massachusetts.

His constituents, he said, are "being asked to take on the entire Big Dig debt...it is certainly unfair."

Walsh also said that the toll increases would only produce $100 million next year when the state faces a $1 billion gap.

"Does this solve our problem?" he asked, "It doesn't solve our problem...where do we get the other $900 million."

Walsh also blasted the Turnpike board for "lack of creativity."

"We have to wonder," he said, "if we can even leave this decision in their hands any longer."

State Rep. Kathi-Anne Reinstein, a Revere Democrat, said that "everyone's hair has been lit on fire" by the news of the propsed toll hikes.

"We all understand that there is a debt to pay but it is unfair to put this debt on a few commuters," she said. "If we see this toll increase take effect...it's going to perpetuate a lot of anger and a lot of grief for all our constituents."

State Rep. David Linsky has proposed legislation to increase the state's gas tax and testified before the committee.

"My constituents are mad and they don't want to take it anymore," the Natick Democrat said. "And I don't blame them because I'm also mad."

Using a white board laying out the differences between tolls and the gas tax, Linsky said that an 11-cent increase in the gas tax would provide enough revenue to eliminate all the tolls in the state. That would work out, he said, to an additional $1.65 per commuter per week, which he noted, is "less than the cost of a medium Dunkin' Donuts coffee."

Mary Connaughton, a member of the Turnpike Authority's board, said that a toll hike is necessary but she didn't expect it to be so high. In it's September meeting the board was planning to increase tolls to create $58 million in revenue. There was no October meeting, she said, and in November they planned to use an increase to raise $70 million. On the morning of the vote, she said, she was told they were voting on raising tolls to create $100 million which was higher than she anticipated to she voted against it.

Connaughton also said that at the recent public meeting on the toll hikes, she was struck by the residents that protested the toll hikes.

"The fear they have over this toll increase is enormous," he said. "I picture those faces and the anger in those faces and what is going to do to those people...Their comments are so compelling."