Mass. Tax Plans: Too Much, Too Soon? Or Too Little, Too Slow?

Should the state forge ahead with Gov. Deval Patrick's bold plan to invest now? Or should it follow the Legislature leadership's proposal to address the bottom line before embarking on bigger initiatives?

Massachusetts legislators this week answered Gov. Deval Patrick's ambitious plan to raise $1.9 billion for transportation and education with a $500 million plan of their own, which says the governor is asking for too much, too soon as the Bay State shakes off the effects of the Great Recession. Who's right? Should the state forge ahead in a bold plan to invest now? Or should it cautiously address the bottom line before embarking on bigger initiatives? While Patrick's plan includes funding for both the state transportation system and increased education funding from preschool through college, House and Senate lawmakers eschew new revenue for education, focusing solely on closing the transportation budget gap over the next five years. The …

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Andrew Sylvia

9:26 pm on Tuesday, April 9, 2013

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Tax to Travel: How Would You Pay for Mass' Transportation System?

Gov. Deval Patrick plans to ask lawmakers to raises taxes to make up for the shortfall in Massachusetts' transportation system. What options should they consider and what's off the table?

Would you be willing to pay more at the pump, have a tracking system on your car that taxes you by the mile, or see tolls on state highways? Those are just some of the possibilities looming as Massachusetts looks to erase the state's transportation system's deficit. The Boston Globe reported that Gov. Deval Patrick will ask lawmakers to raise taxes in order to pay for a transportation system—from the MBTA to roads and bridges—that continues to operate in the red. The administration will present a specific proposal by Jan. 7. One option is raising the gas tax, a route Patrick sought in 2009 only to be rebuffed by the legislature. Patrick sought a 19 cent increase while business groups endorsed a 25 cent increase. Ultimately, the state …

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MBTA Commuter Rail Riders Get Mobile Ticketing

Commuter Rail customers of four lines can now use smartphones to buy train tickets.

  Customers of four MBTA Commuter Rail lines can now use their smartphones to board the train. Starting today, riders of the Lowell, Fitchburg, Haverhill and Newbury/Rockport can use the MBTA mTicket app for iPhone and Android to purchase single or 10-ride tickets, according to the MBTA. The system works by displaying the tickets on the phone’s screen as a digital “flash pass” barcode, according to the statement. “Customers will now have the ability to purchase tickets without waiting in lines meaning they get more time back in their day and more control over their commuter,” said Richard A. Davey, secretary and CEO of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation in the statement. Customers will also benefit from not having to pay the on…

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Tewksbury Schools Closed Tuesday After Sandy

All extracurriculars are also cancelled as the town cleans up after "Frankenstorm" called Sandy swept through on Monday.

Here's a quick morning briefing about the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in Tewksbury. Stay tuned to Tewksbury Patch today for more about yesterday's storm: Schools closed: Tewksbury Public Schools are closed on Tuesday, Oct. 30. All extracurriculars are also cancelled. Power outages: As of 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday, National Grid's website reported that 2,082 customers in Tewksbury were without power—approximately 16.7 percent of the National Grid customers in town. There was no estimated restoration time listed as of 12:30 a.m. More than 2,300 customers were without power at 7:30 p.m. yesterday, with the biggest problem shouldered by those living on Dirlam Circle, who were cut off from the rest of the town around 5 p.m. when a tree came …

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Governor Says State Offices Will Reopen at 10 a.m. on Tuesday

Gov. Deval Patrick said Monday night that the MBTA will resume service on Tuesday and state offices will open at 10 a.m.

State offices will open at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Gov. Deval Patrick said in a Monday evening update on Hurricane Sandy from the bunker at the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Framingham. On his Twitter account, Patrick said that all RMV Class D drivers' tests on Tuesday had been cancelled. Patrick also said non-essential state employees should show up for work at 10 a.m. and he is leaving it up to individual school districts to determine whether they will be open on Tuesday. On Sunday night, Patrick urged all school districts to close on Monday. The worst of the storm is expected to last through 11 p.m. and there is a high tide at about midnight. The MBTA said in an alert issue at about 9 p.m. on Monday that it will …

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MBTA Fare Hikes and Service Cuts Take Effect Sunday

It will cost more to ride the T starting this weekend — and some routes will have decreased service.

On Sunday the MBTA's fare increases start. They're being imposed — along with service cuts — to close the transit agency's $160 million budget gap. Those service cuts also begin Sunday. There are other changes, like an increase in the surcharge for getting your Commuter Rail ticket on the train (if the station where you board has ticket machines). THE RIDE will add a more expensive $5 zone starting Oct. 1. For a complete list of changes taking place on the MBTA system beginning Sunday, visit this T link or check out the PDFs attached to this post in the photos. Here's a look at the new costs:

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POLL: How Would the MBTA's Changes Affect You?

The MBTA is proposing three scenarios that would result in higher fare prices and/or reduced service.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's recently-proposed cuts to service and increase in fare prices have created a bit of stir in the last few weeks.  Due to the its $161 million budget shortfall in fiscal year 2013, the MBTA has proposed two scenarios to help deal with the debt, both of which include elimination of several bus routes, all ferries, and commuter rail service after 10 p.m. and on weekends. The first scenario would comprise an increase in fares by 43 percent, while the second would include an increase in fares by 35 percent, but with drastic cuts to bus service.  But the MBTA is now weighing a third option that would involve no service cuts, and fare increase would be less than with the MBTA's two current proposals…

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Cool Fusion

9:05 am on Saturday, February 18, 2012

Excluding loan payments, The AAA calculates that it costs $8588 to drive a medium sedan 15,000 miles a year. That's about $24.50 per day - so those using the MBTA can well afford an increase to their ride to a concert without forcing the state taxpayer to give them taxi fare.   more ›

MBTA Plans To Cut Service, Raise Rates

Local riders will feel the pinch.