More than 400 people turned out for the MBTA public hearing Monday.
The proposed MBTA fare hikes fall disproportionally on the elderly, disabled, student and low income population, many people said at a packed-to-capacity public hearing Monday night. Following an Occupy Boston rally at Copley Square hundreds of people - many of them college students - flowed into the Boston Public Library. They filled the 342-seat auditorium and 110-seat overflow room by 6:05 p.m. "Some people got here at 4:30," a library worker said. Officials began turning away at least 100 people lined up inside the foyer, and promised to add more public hearings to the already lengthy list. "If we try to raise the fare the way we are now, there won't be more money," said Back Bay resident Elliot Laffer. "There will be a failed …
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Winchester Town Hall
71 Mount Vernon St, Winchester, MA
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The Board of Selectmen do not want to see weekend service stopped.
Earlier this month, the MBTA announced that they are looking at increasing fares, while cutting services for buses and commuter rail. According to the state's transportation website, those cuts could include elimination of commuter rail services after 10 p.m. during the week and completely on the weekend. The Winchester Board of Selectmen did not agree with the proposed changes. “I hate to see the prices increase,” said Selectman Doug Marmon. “But I’m much more concerned about the cuts. I really want to stop that.” Under the proposal, there are two scenarios – the first would include a fare increase of 43 percent, and the second a spike of 35 percent. Both would mean cuts or eliminations to commuter rail services. For example, Winchester …
