MA Proposed Transportation Reform(Service Cuts/Impact)

Governor Patrick just released his proposed transportation reform.

It will be interesting to hear the MBTA unions' reaction. The speech indicates that a $0.19 gas tax increase will also help pay down the MBTA's debt, which is of course desirable. But the devil is in the details. There's so much that needs to be done!

The governor has a seriously uphill climb - the unions are going to attempt to rally other unionized workers to their side to fight this, the anti-tax conservatives are going to have a cow at the thought of a massive tax increase, and Joe and Jane Sixpack are only going to think about the extra bucks they will be shelling out at the pump. All of that adds up to state reps and senators who will be unwilling to risk being tarred as tax-and-spenders by their opponents in the next election. I don't see this going well. The state may have to manufacture a crisis to get this passed.

I dont have a problem with an additional .19/gal tax, for the average driver amounting to roughly $150-200/yr, if the proceeds will DEFINITELY go toward the benefit of mass transit, commuter rail and the radical transformation or elimination of the transport authorities as there is plenty of wasteful spending, perks, poor planning and bad management to get rid of or transform. Hopefully it will be pushed through for the betterment of rail and the public transportation in the state.

It's a little hard to argue with 20 cents more for gas when, just a couple of months ago we were paying the equivalent of a TEN TIMES THAT increase - remember $4 gas? We're doing $2 better than then so maybe the $0.20 won't seem so bad.

Perhaps if they packaged it with transit expansion plans so they could say "The next time gas hits $4/gal, the trains will be in New Bedford, Springfield, etc"

What people are ignoring is the fact that the increased tax is in itself inflation in MA. Everything that we buy will increase in price because the trucks that haul it to your grocery store are not going to eat that extra expense.

Seriously, however, a $5B project to expand rail service is a little wasteful unless the government is paying for all of it through a stimulus package. And even then, in MA, there is a 78% chance it will go over budget.

ags wrote:What people are ignoring is the fact that the increased tax is in itself inflation in MA. Everything that we buy will increase in price because the trucks that haul it to your grocery store are not going to eat that extra expense.
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The tax hasnt increased in 20 years or so. Its way, way behind inflation.

I'm a huge proponent of improving public transportation, but I think that the average full-time resident native with an automobile is going to have a tough time swallowing this one. Oddly, how this tax has come up at a time when gas prices are relatively cheap. I wonder how it will fare when gas gets pushed above $5 per gallon for Regular due to the tax. This one is in for the fight of a lifetime. How about taxing the Pike and all the people who enjoy and make a buck out of the City and then retreat to pay their low property tax in Hooterville ? I never have believed in so-called municipal "financial crisis", as routinely, slush funds are found years later that would have otherwise handled the situation, which is a "paper" crisis only anyway. Usually, enhancements in public transportation pay for themselves after a short while.

3rdrail wrote:I'm a huge proponent of improving public transportation, but I think that the average full-time resident native with an automobile is going to have a tough time swallowing this one.

More like we in MA just love to complain about everything... as we were paying much more than an additional 19 cents a gallon several months ago and most everyone I know just sucked it up and paid it as depending on how much you drive, its the equivalent of a couple cups of coffee a week... not that much...
Anyway, I agree with you on another point in that I think it should have been a combination of raising the tolls, putting some new tolls on 93 SB from NH and perhaps a smaller raise to the gas tax. But its not. So if Deval can get it through, then perhaps the end result will be some improvements to the T and Commuter Rail as it needs to be beefed up and reworked from the ground up.

With all of the presents that Obama Claus left under the Massachusetts "Holiday" tree, why is there a need for such a large increase in the gas tax? The stimulus money could be used to pay down MBTA (and Masspike) debt. This would save T jobs that would be eliminated (same result as creating jobs), improve the environment (by not having more cars on the road due to T service cuts), and improve the economy (by not having a gas tax destroy it). Bear in mind that we will have the largest gas tax in the nation, even more than California!

Is the reason reason for the stimulus to grow the economy, or grow the government?

Clem Brookster wrote:With all of the presents that Obama Claus left under the Massachusetts "Holiday" tree, why is there a need for such a large increase in the gas tax? The stimulus money could be used to pay down MBTA (and Masspike) debt. This would save T jobs that would be eliminated (same result as creating jobs), improve the environment (by not having more cars on the road due to T service cuts), and improve the economy (by not having a gas tax destroy it). Bear in mind that we will have the largest gas tax in the nation, even more than California!

Is the reason reason for the stimulus to grow the economy, or grow the government?

Stimulus is nowhere near enough to pay down the T's or the Pike's debt, and was intended for spending on capital improvements not debt relief. The gas tax is what's designed to pay down the debt at a faster and more manageable clip. Tough pill to swallow for drivers, but honestly the debt interest that'll accrue over time if the state makes no headway on reining it in will hurt taxpayers more in the long run so it really is an acceptable proactive tradeoff. If gas prices stay semi-stable it'll certainly cost less at the pump than the $4/gal. we were paying a year ago.

And, yes, if the western part of the state is going to get dinged by the tax harder without reaping nearly as much of the benefits of a financially healthier T and Pike as the eastern half then it's only fair that they get a greater share of capital-improvement stimulus love than they normally would to help offset their sacrifice.

Just over two years ago I bought a car that got me a 25-50% increase in fuel economy (went from a '94 Intrepid to an '02 Camry). That's one way of dealing with a 5-10% increase in gas prices (20 cents on $2-$4 gas). If it's phased in (like a penny a month), it shouldn't be too damaging.

While i'm glad the tax increase dropped from 27 cents to 19 cents, this is still too high...

The economy is in the toilet...if this passes, more people will be out of work, cause they can't afford to get there. 3-5 cents is all it should be raised with the current state of the economy, and people can't even afford that.

ST214 wrote:While i'm glad the tax increase dropped from 27 cents to 19 cents, this is still too high...

The economy is in the toilet...if this passes, more people will be out of work, cause they can't afford to get there. 3-5 cents is all it should be raised with the current state of the economy, and people can't even afford that.

Gas was much higher 6 months ago, even with this added tax.

In fact, its too small an increase.

I would say, first abolish the Turnpike Authority, get rid of the patronage jobs, reform the ridiculous pension system. Then when you have done all that let's see what the numbers look like, then we can talk about a gas tax increase. It seems only in Mass is a tax increase always the first knee jerk reaction by state government when there is a shortfall.

Jon

Lets keep this topic to how the money will relate to the MBTA. Not any other authority... please.