Fare Hikes + Heavy Service Cuts Looming

MBTA Advisory Board proposes 25 percent fare hike, alternatives to steep service cuts

By Eric Moskowitz, Globe Staff

''MBTA fare increases would be limited to 25 percent and other state agencies as well as major nonprofits, universities, and public attractions would be asked to aid the T under a proposal presented today by the MBTA Advisory Board.

The board, which represents cities and towns served by the T, offered the plan as an alternative to steep fare hikes and deep service cuts proposed by the MBTA last month....''
http://www.boston.com/Boston/metrodesk/ ... index.html

It's about time someone came up with a plan that makes some sort of sense. Some of these changes should have been made years ago.

It makes sense, so it's not going to happen. This is the state of MA and the MBTA we're talking about here.

Here are some holes I see in the plan:

1. The 50 cent surcharge on concert and sporting event tickets. Wouldn't this be considered a new "tax" that would require the state to jump through hoops to be approved?

2. Wage freezes on MBTA employees probably won't work. Unions are rather unfriendly to such a plan.

3. (this comment comes from what I've read in the Boston Metro this morning, and is not mentioned in the link above) The plan calls for places that benefit from the T to pitch in such as universities. BU will not pay a cent. Remember how BU tried to rip the MBTA for discounted passes in the past? BU is an example of a university who wouldn't pay anything on their dime, but rather think that they are entitled to the service as does the rest of the public. I wouldn't be surprised if other universities have the same mentality.

I think if the Union has the option between losing a 3% annual raise or 564 members the Union, and it's membership, would rather lose the raise.

I don't understand the $0.50 surcharge for events and such. How would this work? The only way I could see it working is by tacking it on to Patriots' train tickets. But otherwise, how do you determine who's coming from Fenway or who was just out for dinner in Kenmore Sq?

BostonUrbEx wrote:I don't understand the $0.50 surcharge for events and such. How would this work? The only way I could see it working is by tacking it on to Patriots' train tickets. But otherwise, how do you determine who's coming from Fenway or who was just out for dinner in Kenmore Sq?

My reading is that the surcharge would be on the event tickets, not on train tickets.

MBTA3247 wrote:

BostonUrbEx wrote:I don't understand the $0.50 surcharge for events and such. How would this work? The only way I could see it working is by tacking it on to Patriots' train tickets. But otherwise, how do you determine who's coming from Fenway or who was just out for dinner in Kenmore Sq?

My reading is that the surcharge would be on the event tickets, not on train tickets.

You read it correctly.

I thought folks on here might find this interesting, the group Students Against T Cuts is hosting a couple of Northeastern and other MBTA-related personell to give an information talk about the MBTA. http://www.facebook.com/events/195370193896556/ and http://www.northeastern.edu/policyschoo ... -teach-in/

Speaker List:
Stephanie Pollack
Associate Director of Research, Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy
Professor of Practice, School of Public Policy & Urban Affairs

Peter Furth
Professor, College of Engineering

Brian Kane
Transportation Policy Analyst, MBTA Advisory Board

Josh Robin
Director of Innovation, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
Northeastern alumnus

Might be an interesting way to learn a little bit more about the non-operational side of the MBTA

http://www.cambridgeday.com/2012/02/22/ ... s-transit/

As a leader of the legislature’s MBTA caucus, [Rep. Rep. Martha Walz] she said she approached Patrick to see if he wanted to weigh in on solutions for the shortfall and the devastating solutions that have so far been proposed by the transit agency. A Patrick aide said the Democratic governor had decreed it the legislature’s problem to grapple with because “‘we have other priorities‘ — a judgment call with which I profoundly disagree,” she said.

Yup. These are our leaders.

And then one day later he thinks using unspent snow money from this year's budget for the T's problems is a good idea:

http://www.newburyportnews.com/local/x8 ... MBTAs-woes

Gov. Deval Patrick said yesterday that his administration is considering the use of excess snow-and-ice removal funds to help limit the service cuts proposed by the MBTA, as the cash-strapped agency deals with a yawning projected budget deficit.

"It's one we're thinking about. It's February. You know how New England is. We've had a good and calm and relatively snow-free winter so far. If the winter continues as it has been, there will be unspent snow and ice budget. That may be part of the one-year fix," Patrick said, adding, "We need a permanent fix. We are working on both what the permanent fix ought to be ... and also what a short-term measure ought to be so we can avoid some of the service cuts that are on the table right now."

F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:http://www.cambridgeday.com/2012/02/22/ ... s-transit/

As a leader of the legislature’s MBTA caucus, [Rep. Rep. Martha Walz] she said she approached Patrick to see if he wanted to weigh in on solutions for the shortfall and the devastating solutions that have so far been proposed by the transit agency. A Patrick aide said the Democratic governor had decreture’s problem to grapple with because “‘we have other priorities‘ — a judgment call with which I profoundly disagree,” she said.

ed it the legisla
Yup. These are our leaders.

Patrick's priorities are with Obama's re-election campaign and a job with the Obama administration in the event the president is re-elected.

The Transportation bill in the House removes the Mass Transit account from the Highway Trust Fund. What will be the impact on mbta budget?

Ken Patrick

KEN PATRICK wrote:The Transportation bill in the House removes the Mass Transit account from the Highway Trust Fund. What will be the impact on mbta budget?

Ken Patrick

The House Transportation Bill isn't passing the Senate or Obama's desk, so a moot point. I doubt there is going to be a transportation funding bill of any kind before the new Congress takes office in 2013 with how entrenched the sides are. Beyond more of those continuing-resolution type bills that patch along a few more months' funding, since that's the only type of funding bill they can pass for any portion of the Fed budget.

Patrick's intransigence is a bigger deal for Year 2012 action as far as the T is concerned.

Hitler has reacted to the MBTA's proposed fare hikes and service cuts:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU-WQ790dq8

"Charlie is rolling in his grave."

BostonUrbEx wrote:Hitler has reacted to the MBTA's proposed fare hikes and service cuts:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU-WQ790dq8

"Charlie is rolling in his grave."