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.
That third scenario would comprise a 25 percent fare increase, and would shift the cost of security to the State Department of Public Safety. MassPort, meanwhile, would bear the cost of ferry service, and there would be no pay raises among the MBTA for FY13.
Either way, a change will occur, and we're wondering how you as residents and commuters feel about the situation. Let us know your thoughts by voting in today's poll and weighing in with comments below.
Joe Pato
12:04 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012
The choices in this poll aren't mutually exclusive. The first two scenarios are awful, but so is any cut in weekend service. The third scenario, in preserving service, is better, but doesn't seem the best. For me, increased funding for the MBTA derived from an increased gas tax seems the best and only sustainable path forward.
Interpreting station names as free advertizing for area institutions (e.g., Charles/MGH or BU East or Tufts Medical Center) seems ridiculous. Including these names provides out-of-area travelers with necessary orientation, it doesn't provide advertizing to commuters - it isn't, thankfully, Government Center/Your Favorite Donuts
John Bowe
1:19 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012
I agree with my friend, Joe's, comments.
It's ridiculous that the gasoline tax has remained unchanged for 20 years. Taking inflation into consideration - and ignoring the fact that most of us use less gas per milenow - we are effectively getting a tax cut every year.
Small fair increases, to follow inflation (like COLAs, roughly), seems to be a reasonable policy, rather than shocking people with a big increase or large service cuts every 5 years or so.
WW Resident
1:34 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012
Hey, if the MBTA can get monies from these organizations, I say go for it. I'd rather have BU or Tufts Medical Ctr pony up the cash than have it come out of my wallet.
Suggestion -- would be helpful to date the comments as they appear along the right side of the site. And the non Westwood or non region polls are getting out of hand!
Erika J.
4:45 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012
As a college student in Rhode Island, I rely on the MBTA line from Providence-South Station to go home for the weekend every once in a while. Their changes would affect my ability to get home when needed as long as so many others. Many people rely on the MBTA as a means of transportation for work.
If it meant keeping the schedule the way it is, I would be willing to pay a bit more for train fare. It is still cheaper and more convenient to take the train than have my mom drive me to and from school (Freshmen are not allowed cars on campus).
Magellan
2:12 pm on Saturday, February 18, 2012
Increase the gas tax for heaven's sake. It's a no brainer.
Michele FitzGerald
10:26 am on Sunday, February 19, 2012
Elimination of ferry services is disingenuos. Communities rely on it as well as make decisions about property value and lease rates based on proximity to the ferry....more so than proximity to train and bus. MBTA also looks to generate revenue through leasing ferry parking lots to bring in big box franchises without consideration to residents. MBTA is strategising to meet objectives it is not fully disclosing.
PJ Looney
11:15 am on Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Raising the gas tax is a progressive pipe dream to get Car owners to subsidize the MBTA. The reality is the last thing that should be discussed is raising the gas tax and the MBTA is still a bargain vs. owning a car.
Reason number one is when Gas hits $4 a gallon the Country heads into consumer led recession. With Obama preparing to attack Iran we may see $4.50+ in Massachusetts this Summer. Station owners will be forced to pass on the hike and just a 4 cent hike would mean the average household would be paying $500 in gas tax a year. Drive more than 18,000 miles a year and that number increases.
Reason #2 The Average Household is paying over $4,000 a year on Gas which is 8.2% of the median income and rising as gas rises.
Reason #3 Rural residents pick up a disproportionate share of the burden since they have limited Public Transportation and drive greater distances on average than city dwellers.
Reason #4 An unlimited Bus/Train Charlie Card cost $708 a year. Add up Insurance,Gas,Inspection Stickers,Excise Tax, Tolls, Parking Meters, Parking Garages, and general maintenance to keep the car on the Road and a household can easily spend $6,000+ for Transportation.
And some politicians are talking about piling more burden onto Car Owners?
The gas tax will have to wait until we dramatically increase domestic production and find a viable alternative.
David Chase
10:50 am on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
PJ, I don't think it's Obama's plan to start a war with Iran -- our generals are talking down war, for example ( http://www.juancole.com/2012/02/israeli-pm-netanyahu-attacks-gen-dempsey-as-servant-of-iran.html ). It would be a horrible idea -- much bloodier and more expensive than Iraq, and we're not that sure they intend to acquire nuclear weapons.
I have heard, again and again, that the gas tax does not pay all the expenses of building and maintaining roads for cars, never mind their external expenses (crash deaths, noise, pollution). Certainly, it is not gas tax that maintains roads in Belmont -- it's our property taxes.
And though a gas tax increase would generally fall hardest on rural residents, in general urban areas subsidize rural areas through various income transfers (there's more economic activity in cities, higher wages, thus higher taxes) so in the big picture this would not be unfair.
Michele FitzGerald
6:34 pm on Tuesday, February 21, 2012
If MBTA is in such dire straights ....debt....why isnt it considering bankruptcy? Why isnt MBTA considering restructuer under bankruptcy law or put under recievership? It suffers from miss-management, the same management that solely looks at new revenue streams at the expense of anyone in need of public transportation. New revenue streams will not stop bleeding under poor management...who is to guarantee new revenue streams and saving will go toward the debt? I dont buy any of it. MBTA is fear mongering....I say if it is financially insolvant file bankruptcy or sell it too someone who can manage public transportation. It is fool hardy to keep MBTA under same ownership and management. Heads need to roll if trains and buses dont.
David Chase
10:28 pm on Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Might not hurt to use Big Dig tolls to pay down Big Dig debt. My understanding is that clean-air rules required mitigation, and "mitigation" was obtained by beefing up transit -- and then handing the T the bill for all the shiny new stuff they didn't necessarily need.
I don't personally use the T all that much, since I work in Burlington, and it's just as fast to ride my bike all the way to work, as it is to bike to Alewife and take the bus. But other people taking transit gets cars off the roads, so I think I do benefit from it even so.