From my buddy Sal, re: toll hikes
From "LaMattina, Salvatore" <Salvatore.LaMattina [at] cityofboston [dot] gov>
Dear Friend:
Since the Turnpike Authority announced its plan to raise the tolls on the harbor tunnels I have received an influx of phone calls and emails – and rightfully so. This unilateral action, without input from the affected citizens and elected officials, is outrageous, and we are going to fight against this abuse of power with all we’ve got.
Last week I introduced a resolution that strongly urges Bernard Cohen, the state’s secretary of transportation, “to immediately prevent any toll increases unfairly to taxpayers leading to an unjust segregation of a portion of the city, harming families and disrupting commerce.” All my City Council colleagues strongly support me on this matter.
Further, I have publicly demanded that Secretary Cohen, and other members of the Turnpike Authority board of directors, appear before a hearing of the City Council’s Aviation & Transportation Committee, which I will be chairing. Quasi-public agencies should not be allowed to take such broad and painful actions without conferring with the citizenry.
These toll increases would be a serious injustice to the people of our city, and particularly to the people of East Boston . Further, the Turnpike Authority must not tinker with the residential exemption program that allows drivers living in East Boston, the North End and South Boston – the communities burdened by the city’s transportation infrastructure – to pay a discounted rate through the tunnels.
I will continue to fight back on this issue, and I hope that you will continue to speak out as well.
Sincerely,
Sal LaMattina
Boston City Council District 1
I'm looking for something more than "because people who drive a lot will have to pay a lot."
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/11/25/huge_bill_could_soon_come_due_for_turnpike/
not just Eastie and Everett, too
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/regional_editions/globe_west/west/2008/11/toll_hike_equal.html
I know I have beaten this into the ground before on RSN, but all that $ that just has to go to pay the people to stand there? That isn't funding the Big Dig.
There is a fair degree of Western Mass sentiment that most of that toll $ is being funnelled to Boston, but that really isnt why tolls irritate me per se.
I think they impede the natural flow of traffic, cause accidents as a result of the always changing mix of "Fast Lane" / "Cash" lanes, and shine a glaring light on how inefficient and archaic transportation revenue is.
Whether my sentiment is valid or not, this was one of the biggest reasons (the Cadillac and the curtains had nothing to do with it - I swear) I could not bring myself to vote for Deval Patrick.
In some degree this is simply economics. The space in a driving lane in a tunnel has value and we charge for it. While I don't know what the fair market value is, a random number assigned by the state is ridiculous.
I hate tolls, and I avoid them when I can, but there is an argument for specific costs to specific roads.
http://www.springfieldcityhall.com/finance/13.0.html
<img src="http://www.springfieldcityhall.com/finance/uploads/pics/revenue-chart2.gif">
Who do you think pays the bulk of that 61%? Income tax generated in Springfield or income tax generated in Boston? Just a small degree of Eastern Mass sentiment that most of the state's $ gets funneled west of Worcester.
Boston receives 20-25% of it's revenue in state aid. True, it's probably a bigger total sum than the sum given to Springfield.
Even so, increasing the tax still seems like a good idea to me. Especially if MA were to negotiate a region-wide tax hike with the other New England states.
- Increasing tolls on the Pike does not make the users of the Big Dig pay, in general. Most Diggers are coming in via 93 and paying no tolls. So, it's not really much (any?) more unfair than a general gas tax.
- A gas tax is very efficient. It's hard to avoid paying it, and almost all the money collected can be used. Tolls are inefficient. A large percentage of the money collected goes to paying for the people and equipment that do the collecting.
- My gas tax helps pay for roads that I never use, e.g. in Western Mass, or Cape Cod. I am not outraged about that.
_________________________________
Stop The Pike Hike Rally
December 3rd at 4:00
Ecco Restaurant and Martini Bar
107 Porter Street, East Boston
Please join us for our Stop The Pike Hike rally to protest the proposed toll hikes on the Massachusetts Turnpike.
Date: Wednesday, December 3rd
Time:4:00 PM
Location: Ecco Restaurant and Martini Bar, 107 Porter Street, East Boston
The rally will be a tri-partisan event and speakers will include:
* State Senator Scott Brown (R)
* State Representative Carlo Basile (D)
* Former Vice Chairman of the Turnpike Authority Christy Mihos (I)
* Radio Personality Michele McPhee of 96.9
* Merrimack Valley Spina Bifida Association Chairperson Cindy Ward
* Founder of the Stop the Pike Hike group, Michael Kelleher
However public tunnels used by privately owned (or rented) cars is another matter. If the hiked toll generates more revenue AND diminishes traffic congestion then it's a win-win.
"Up the Hike Rally"
Thursday December 4, Noon.
MassArt 10th floor tower.
How is anyone "cut off"? What method of transport is no longer functioning?
'Cut off' to me means separated, not inconvenienced.
Hey it's been almost a year already since the last <a href="http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/general/view.bg?articleid=1068748">murder at King Arthur's</a>!
I think there is a combo porn store and Mexican food takeout establishment in an RV down there, but that actually sounds too awesome to be true. Maybe I dreamt that.
My bro-in law can come all the way from Vermont, 93 all the way and pay $0 in tolls. How is that fair?
As you can tell, a
<b>FAIL!</b>
Riding through a puddle with a dead rat in it was.
Never did that again,
The government still needs to pay for the convenience of the Williams Tunnel. Unless I'm mistaken, only the Williams (inbound) toll will be raised. Your parents can arrive via the Williams and leave via the Sumner (or is it Callahan in that direction?)
.
.
.
Oops, the Sumner (inbound) toll is getting hiked too. Get a Fast Lane, they'll save a buck.
<img src="http://salsaboston.com/cruise/images/map.gif">
It's close as the bird flies, true. But there is that Boston Harbor right there. What does it cost to get from Staten Island to Manhattan Island (and back)?
If we didn't have to deal with thousands of planes taking off from our neighborhood feeding the economic machine that is the hub of the universe, and could live in a bedroom community close to the city without the reduced air quality that comes from all of the cars driving into our neighborhood, maybe we would feel differently.
The tunnels weren't built for Eastie residents. In fact, throughout the history of the airport, Eastie residents have gotten the shaft from MassPort again and again.
TOLL THE AIRPORT! HUZZAH!
But this toll will cripple Eastie as a Boston neighborhood filled with businesses and culture, and *gasp* people! But maybe that's the plan-- get rid of the people little by little, so the whole neighborhood can be an airport.
Maybe I don't understand your question.
Dear Friend:
I’d like to personally thank those who attended Wednesday evening’s public hearing on toll hikes. It is important that we vocally oppose the outrageous increase that the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority is attempting to unilaterally institute. People throughout the state, and their elected officials, need to know how detrimental such a move would be to real neighborhoods and real people.
In order to make sure that our concerns continue to be part of the discussions, please join me in attending next week’s public hearing before the Turnpike Authority’s Board of Directors.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
State Transportation Building
10 Park Plaza, 2nd Floor
Boston , MA 02216
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
We need to stand together on this issue, and we need to insist that the effects of such a policy on the lives of working people and their families must be considered. I hope to see you on Wednesday.
My office will be providing transportation to and from the hearing. We will be meeting
City View Trolley in Central Square at 5:30 p.m. Please contact my office at 617-635-3200 if you need transportation.
Sincerely,
Salvatore LaMattina
District 1 City Councilor