Thursday, November 13, 2008

Jeez

I'm not wild about this.
But in the long run, Patrick said he hopes to eliminate all tolls except those at the state borders and harbor tunnels.
Tolls are horrid policy because they're a) expensive and b) impact everyone just the same, including and especially those who can least afford it. Combine that with all the increases at the MBTA - including adding $2 for parking - and there's no good, affordable way into the city. This impacts countless people on the North Shore and Metro West, many of whom don't earn that much money.

Why not get rid of all tolls, at least those not on state borders, and spread the cost around to the entire state in a fair manner. A 10 cent addition to the gas tax would totally offset the need for tolls, while cutting the major costs of our state's highway system. This really is a no brainer.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why spread it to the rest of the state. Those of us west of Worcester don't benefit from the MBTA, Big Dig, Tobin bridge etc. Let those who use pay.

Ryan said...

In government, we spread the costs around for infrastructure. Society wouldn't work if we didn't. Think of it like insurance.

It's not as if I don't support far more public transportation for Worcester and Springfield, etc. Hundreds of millions should be invested there, with me helping pay for it.

Ryan said...

I benefit when you do and vice versa. We're all in this together, after all.

Anonymous said...

Yah, give and take. We give, Boston takes. I like the way this is working out, highlights the tremendous waste in our state government. Never thought I'd say this but I'm beginning to like Deval, taking on the police( a little) making the leeches east of 495 pay more proporionatly(fairly). The Mass Pike was supposed to be disbanded when it was paid off years ago, but the Beacon Hill politicians used the Pike for payola jobs and favors.

Anonymous said...

One of the important points you try to make is that there's no good affordable way into the city, let's spread the cost of providing one all across the state. The further you get away from Boston, the less important it is to get there. You have the egocentric attitude of a Bostonian.

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