Should Property Taxes Be Used to Pay for the MBTA?

The MBTA "assessment" is raised aprox 2.5% yearly, and on Cambridge for 2010 it is $8,302,878 on some 101,000 population, or aprox $82.00 per person. However, the City passes this head tax on to property taxes, resulting in some individuals having to pay 2, 3 even 4 times their "fair share." seniors and people with disabilities are unfairly burdened by this "hidden property tax" to pay for the MBTA. Small business is also burdened, unfairly. And while some will claim it is a small amount of money, I see that those who ust the T to communt to work, and earn a good living, expect the poor, unemployed, seniors, disabled, even babies to pay this "small amount" for them. If it is such a "small amount" let those who work pay for their own transportation.



In what many believe to be bad politics, Gov Deval Patrick, through his appointees, has ousted The MBTA's General Manager, Dan Grabauskas, by paying off his contract in full, basically paying him not to show up for work. For now, the MBTA will have it's attorney to head up one of the largest public transportation systems, and surely one of the most diverse and troubled.

Among other things, the MBTA has it's own "private police force," opperates ferries, high speed rail service, and is working to fulfill agreements to end disacrimination based on disability due to the law suit filed by BCIL.

When Dan first came on to T management, he immediately vistied Towns and Cities, taking spontaneous questions, and listening to, and responding to comments from seniors to bike users. He has been most available and transparent, and fixed things from urine in the elevators to the "Hidden Service Cuts," a secret policy he ended last year, after I documented this "unofficial policy" with photos, bus numbers and times, to demonstarte that busses had been pulled off service routes without either hearings nor public notice.

What most folks do not realize is that the funding of the MBTA was changed, and not for the best, in 2000, with an effort to shift funding of the MBTA to property taxes. This is achieved through MBTA assessments on Cities and Towns, and cambridge pays over 8 million. property taxes now make up some 10% of the MBTA's budget. That is not progressive, it drives up rents, and I wonder just how many of you think property taxes is the right way to fund public transportation? Regressive enough for you?

The MBTA has a huge buget shortfall. How should they raise the funds? have your say..

Attend a public workshop or the public hearing We invite you to attend one of the public workshops to share your comments and discuss your suggestions with MBTA officials. The public hearing will be an opportunity to offer your recorded comments. Comments at all meetings will be considered by MBTA staff and Board of Directors for further action. A court reporter will be present at the public hearing to record comments.American Sign Language services and assistive listening devices available at all public workshops and hearings. All locations are accessible to persons with disabilities.

• Written comments will also be accepted through September 4, 2009 and should be
mailed to MBTA, Ten Park Plaza, Boston,MA 02116, Attention: Fare Proposal Committee.

• You can also submit your comments electronically at the MBTA website www.mbta.com
at fareproposal@mbta.com, and by phone at (617) 222-3200, TTY (617) 222-5146.

The schedule of public meetings, including a series of workshops and concluding with a formal hearing, is as follows:

Monday, August 10
Boston
Gardner Auditorium-State House
24 Beacon Street
4-7: P.M.
Interpreter: Chinese, Spanish
Written Material: Cape Verdean Creole,
Chinese, Haitian Creole, Italian, Spanish

NOTICE: Gov Patrick has cancelled all
the following public meetings....

Tuesday, August 11Revere
Garfield Elementary School
Auditorium
176 Garfield Ave.
5:30-7:30 P.M.
Interpreter: Spanish
Written Material: Khmer, Spanish

Wednesday, August 12
Braintree
Thayer Public Library
798 Washington Street
5:30-7:30 P.M.
Interpreter: Chinese
Written Material: Chinese

Thursday, August 13
Somerville
Somerville High School Auditorium
81 Highland Ave.
5:30-7:30 P.M.
Interpreter: Portuguese
Written Material: Haitian Creole, Portuguese,
Spanish

Monday, August 17
Salem
City Hall Annex, Room 313
120Washington Street, 3rd floor
6:00-8:00 P.M.
Written Material: Spanish

Tuesday, August 18Framingham
Town Hall - Blumer Room
150 Concord Street
6:00-8:00 P.M.
Interpreter: Portuguese
Written Material: Portuguese, Spanish

Wednesday, August 19Worcester
Union Station, Union Hall, 2nd Floor
2Washington Square
6:00-8:00 P.M.
Interpreter: Spanish
Written Material: Spanish

Thursday, August 20
Attleboro
City Hall Council Chambers
77 Park Street
6:00-8:00 P.M.
Written Material: Cape Verdean Creole,
Spanish

Monday, August 24Haverhill
Haverhill Public Library
99Main Street
6:00-8:00 P.M.
Interpreter: Spanish
Written Material: Spanish

Tuesday, August 25
Dorchester
Grove Hall Community Center
51 Geneva Ave.
5:30-7:30 P.M.
Interpreter: Cape Verdean Creole
Written Material: Cape Verdean Creole,
Spanish

Tuesday, August 25Roxbury
Roxbury Community College
Media Arts Center
1234 Columbus Ave.
5:30-7:30 P.M.
Interpreter: Haitian Creole
Written Material: Cape Verdean Creole,
Spanish

Wednesday, August 26Fitchburg
Fitchburg State College
Ellis White Lecture Hall
160 Pearl Street, Hammond Building
6:00-8:00 P.M.
Written Material: Spanish

PUBLIC HEARING
Thursday, August 27
Boston
State Transportation Building
10 Park Plaza
5:30-7:30 P.M.
Interpreter: Chinese, Spanish
Written Material: Cape Verdean Creole,
Chinese, Haitian Creole, Italian, Spanish