29 cent gas tax

Murder in -- on Boston's -- visionary Evans -- city. WR Kerio. Okay you're welcome back it is save money to dream ended but it's gonna be he's not great journey and I -- the other thing microprocessor written bloom. What's that it will soon follow spring is in the year daylight saving last three eyes -- beautiful --

The metropolitan area political out how to get message I have metropolitan just like any -- cut. Map and its citizens and march -- and former legislative candidate for lieutenant governor of QB if you he is back. Is advocating he and his organization advocating for eight to 29. Cent increase in the gas -- he knows it's controversial doesn't run away from controversy he's going to tell us why he thinks that is timely necessary in --

Appropriate march and then welcome that we can find that we you know the open up the phones and find out people in twenty unites us enough for that want to go to 35 a terrific as editor credit trump Mark Ellis a -- right now Nancy okay mark how quiet and welcome. Thank you very much Tom and Todd pleasure to be here. Tell us. Twenty seconds on now metropolitan area planning -- what the organization is what it does. On a day to day basis and then let's get right into a 29 cent you've won the bidding war so far and it you know your tenure in politics this is not does not the way to popular appeal no it's never an easy sell MEPC is a regional planning agency for metropolitan Boston we -- 101 cities and towns from cape and in the north Framingham in the west to -- for in the south. Mainly we work with those towns on land use planning issues in a lot of our Ortiz in the transportation field. A -- to your government agencies -- government agency we don't report to the mayor of one of the governor we have our own board of directors established in the in the in the general laws I'd like to say it's religiously is -- a sport that only a legislature could have created a 137. Members. On our board -- you -- only they only -- three times a year and they elect a wonderful executive committee of twenty sort of get -- year created by the legislature to say it again -- What we assist cities and towns mainly with -- planning issues but also on issues of regional governance right now we're working with a lot of cities and towns trying to have them. Regional -- this service -- to save money improve the quality it's so big story in yesterday's -- not to get distracted -- on the merger of -- school districts -- might have to have mr. -- back another -- another -- We believe the most important reason to have a wealth fund transportation system is our economic competitiveness. Good roads high quality road to good rail system could transit. Is critical to the economy of the region. Surveys of business leaders say that time and time again. And with the exception of the big day in a few other projects we've largely ignored that infrastructure. Over the course of the last 101520 years and that's got to stop. That's pretty simple with ignored the basics of the infrastructure to because of the elevation. Of a fuel that the the most notorious gross being the Big -- so 29 cents actress and I know you well enough to million on -- stuff off the back of the envelope been in intuit and a style box on the napkin. --

The first thing we have to do is not the most fun and not the most popular we have to start paying that debt we incurred in recent years. You know over the last ten or twenty years unfortunately political leaders of all stripes. Democrat Republican executive legislative. Liberal concerns are and they've all said fundamentally the same thing to the people of Massachusetts would you are and have 821. Century infrastructure by borrowing. You don't have to pay. And that never works the piper eventually the bill eventually comes do you have to pay the piper. And that bill has come do it usually comes due in a period of a difficult economy. Which is a terrible time why is I have to go back and ask people for more money. But unfortunately this is when the bill has come -- Because it is -- time that that. People begin to call their loans that the interest rates hurt because the expenses flowing into other parts of the revenue are falling down. Are going lower and the interest rates really begin to hurt so we seen it first with the turnpike authority. We are now beginning to see it with the ET. And at some point you have to say the bill comes due you pay your -- pay the interest you paid on the principle is no alternative. That's going to take somewhere around six -- sense of the total. But after that hopefully there -- some good things that we can do one of the things we can do is start paying some of the people who work in the state transportation agencies. Through appropriation ran through bonding it's unbelievable. What we've been doing consider the mass highway department now on the good side. The mass highway department has actually become a much leaner organization in recent years it's gone down from a peak. -- 3000 workers to 1800 workers but many of those workers are actually paid by bond there -- by borrowing. And that means we pay their interest for twenty years.

How is this a lot. -- what a ridiculous way to do things -- our federal government allows that it's based upon federal highway money -- they say for specific projects rather than build up a permanent workforce we know you're gonna have to add maybe 200 -- what are your daughters a -- and they just go from one project to the next project using the borrowed money to -- permanent employees. Well they have been doing that they're trying to perfectly perfectly reasonable to build capital projects and will last for 204000. Years by borrowing money that makes sense but it does not make sense. Have you paid and dealing employees. Those like aren't -- I -- that happens with -- three gentleman in this and the credit rating agencies have pointed this out time after time after time the last time -- Governor Deval Patrick in this studio set right the American right the and I asked them what have you done about this is that it's a big problem with trying to address that. It's going to take some time so and so what he's aware of that he wasn't oblivious to it but. After all -- predecessor governor is kind of said the same thing we're aware we're into weren't a lot of progress did not come up with a solution because you're perfectly frank the solution is not popular or pleasant how much.

wait -- also the cause is not popular so that's part of the big problem is you're coming to us at a time when. People very low faith in the government and in the ability of the government to do the right thing then you're telling us the reason or part of the reason we're in this fixes because the government did do the wrong thing. And that you're saying trust the guys with the big taxing well you know try to the only thing I -- they -- things they screwed up there is a lot.

Blame that -- go around to everybody can go around to leadership in the legislature can go to the previous governors. But he can also go to the public throughout the commonwealth we wanted these things there was broad consensus that we should have. A strong transit system that we should have the Big -- that we should build a lot of other things -- to be fervently frank I'm a booster of most of those things myself. What there was not broad consensus for what you actually had to.

84 and a -- Well no I agree on Friday do I -- we -- we had a power structure in this city and state and country that said the money is free and easy. The federal government's going to pay for most of it. Do the Big Dig it's going to be great. People we did not have the knowledge or the awareness of what the issues were to be able to raise appropriate opposition to trust that leadership that led them into financial debacle. And a construction -- while I would say that.

You know we can disagree for a long time over exactly who was to blame or who was more to blame the questioning is. Are we going to have the courage and the intelligence to actually look full. I mentioned two things that are going to be beaten there will use the money -- I didn't mention a third line that was perhaps the most important which is. Cities all over America. Voters are actually going to the polls in Denver and Las Vegas in California in Houston in Dallas. And raising taxes. To expand and develop their infrastructure usually it's a combination. Of its usually sales taxes sometimes it's property taxes occasionally gets its gas taxes. And it's usually a combination of roadway and transit projects every time those projects get built. It increases the competitiveness of one of our competitors cities. And we have to be able to do that as well now in Massachusetts it's illegal to go to the ballot for that kind of a local regional. Sales tax if you will so the only alternative we have. To keep building projects that we need to keep improving the infrastructure we hat. Two operating accounts would be a nickel guessing it's around in a nickel don't have the exact number in my head. And we wouldn't do it all in one year even though I'd rather see it all and when -- we do it over a period of probably about five years. It is very important to emphasize for people who talk about the bloated transportation bureaucracy. If you look at that mass highway department I'll repeat the number it has gone down from 3000 to 1800. Workers. The problem is not the number of work is in fact we need more engineers in the highway department. The problem is how they are paid is not their salaries either -- those are not too high. If so it's paying them by bonded money rather than buy out of their wages than ever -- is so much. Well partly they eliminated employees but partly. We have been suffering a brain drain not only highway department but throughout the state transportation bureaucracy because when times were good. As is often the case of government we were not able to keep up with the public sector salaries this is -- private sector salaries now. This is actually not a bad time. You go back into the marketplace. Restore some of our talent build projects we need. Take care and maintain the infrastructure we have at some of those great now private sector employees who might be laid out what to trust my we will have a moral or not we do I get excited when I know are -- many more thousand we -- we don't need to go anywhere back -- 3000. We do anymore because right now even reduce some of the projects they have they're -- slowly if carried portfolio managers the district managers -- mass highway and elsewhere have a huge number of small projects on their plate it's very difficult for them to keep up with them. The number -- a projects on the plate is far higher than is in most private sector firms that do comparable let me ask a question always controversial atonement talked a lot about. Mass Turnpike tolls projected total increase of seven dollars the title. Would you 29 cent gas tax increase. Abolish. Every single role in Massachusetts it would. Roll back the increases that have just been voted but it would not eliminate them he wants to roll back -- just said the governor -- nineteen cent per gallon tax gas tax increase mark juries and is here from the metropolitan area planning council wants a 29 cent increase. Why your extra dime when -- really frank. That extra dime isn't the way that I would prefer to get. We recommended about six months ago to go to a system of what we call open road tolling. We believe it's possible to do that within about five years technologically this -- you don't slide down that's right will you slow -- very little preferably you don't slowdown and all. On this would mean lower tolls much lower tolls and we have on the bridges tunnels and pikes right now. But they would be spread more evenly among all the interstate or limited access highways of the commonwealth right now what we've done with the people. Who use the pike in the bridges is we've always gone back to them. When people wouldn't lend -- more. That that was the answer they were two answers you either borrowed money or you went to the people who -- the pike and that is grossly unfair.

I agree I mean what talked about the inequity that -- talked about the each draw -- or seven dollar tolls. And whether it's East Boston whether it's the metro west commuters we see right out hero this window each and every day Todd and I have been all over that. Two this is and this is this is -- this -- ambitious proposal may have 29 -- in. Again you would say the toll increases would be rolled back and open rode tall in some different variations might talk could -- should be considered but. -- would still would not be a total abolition of well.

Right opener it's only can be done right now it would take about we think five years some people say ten years ago technology. It's technology largely it doesn't seem like there's the political appetite for that discussion at the moment it looks like we can only deal with the gas tax right now show so we went back provides our proposals it okay if not the best. But we would rather increased the gas tax take care of these needs then move on the open -- situation. Further down the road when it's more -- excellent 72666. -- 61 more question before we go to the cause all right the calls after this. Reforms I -- reform first reform before revenue reform reform reform. If marked risen was king of the world. What reforms do you think got absolutely essential in order to win the trust of these people who now want a calling and want to talk to. Well I should know reforms -- in the Senate bill. Every reform called for by the transportation finance commission is in the governor's bill. Probably one the most important things for -- in my personal opinion the opinion any PC to deal with -- the issue not so much the health -- But -- retirement age of the team right now T workers can work for 23 years retire get their pension immediately work another job. That's not a situation again I think any of the gentleman in this room have it's not fair situation should be resolved. There are a number of reforms that will save a significant money we should do all of them but. Even if we do all of the ones that were listed by the transportation finance commission that will will cover about twelve and a half percent. Of the twenty year deficit were expected to have in the transportation field so sadly you've got to do both.

Mark -- wants a gas tax up to twenty not -- an additional 29 cents per gallon that's right I'm saying let's go right for -- He's done was not fiber of my liberal friends yet what are we said what do you say we go to Jason -- for behavioral Jason your idea what my trades and from MA PC.

I don't. Know where you are now. I don't think the people that's -- just repeat what -- are absorbing -- a small. Jet pack or longer all -- all -- scream again. Did you believe you twenty cents at -- accents per gallon. So that's what. Else for a week but every person and -- and -- it's -- to lower the odds are applauding the.

Well I would first of all let's be practical about this nobody really wants to pay this increase I understand that. I don't know exactly where the breaking point is of what people would accept as reasonable but I do know that they want reform. The administration deserves some credit for doing a lot of reforms that are not statutory to try and speed up projects the reductions in the in. The number of people working as I said at the mass highway department. They now go through a process of beating on materials. That gets them a much lower cost of materials and they used to get previously they've put elements into that contract that require for renegotiation. Of those costs. In mid term if the price of the raw materials goes down. And the Senate particularly they were leaders on reform in 2004. When a major transportation reform bill has passed. There is more we can and must do. But it is also important to remember the significant reforms have been implemented already we want to -- the reforms first -- do the reforms a week or two before.

I was again I think -- it sounds to me like it separated out I was gonna say a month before already -- separated a little -- package -- reforms given to the Todd fibers in the Jason's from have rules and say look. This is gonna get -- 12% of the way of what's left now the adults have to figure out at 88% solution we -- have to do both -- 6172666860. Thomas caught passing your NW RKO mark jury isn't. From the metropolitan area planning council.

Truck that -- about they like to -- couple points above all listened to -- First by racing the taxes and -- less competitive in the states it's it's not like the tax but be raised alone. This taxes that are -- across all cities and other other types of Texas. Faculty it. Management the other half. Much what -- will stick for quite some time. Feels to me like quit throwing money. The problem or not fiction -- real pro which is the management of state and -- Your site they have improved dramatically or west of the dime on it. And currently collect myself. Text -- The meeting did pull all electric at least tomorrow. And it's so he's the go to a state. You can't keep little moral to our regular -- way.

His arms and won't. EC east race where would you. Consider this or Massachusetts. Yeah. Sure. -- capital gains tax dividend tax speak state income tax fees fines you know it does not know what the excitement space that's because.

Let me tossed out of you go ahead -- general -- very interesting points of fact of the matter is that these days Massachusetts is pretty much dead in the middle. In terms of taxing. Among the states. We have about half the State's tax -- about half the states -- last if you look at it compared overall incomes within the state and if you compare all taxes local and state. And throw in all the fees so we aren't you know frankly we're not -- choose its anymore and nobody wants to move back toward that. But if you moved to Texas I forget the gentleman's name on side. Tonne Tom from costs okay Tom from class if you moved to Texas for example and you might leaving anyone of a number of cities as I said before Houston and Dallas -- the ones I know about I believe Austin I'm not sure if there -- others. That have voted themselves tax increases explicitly. To build and manage infrastructure. And that's so critical to our economic competitiveness I don't want to do this and just to pay that debt. I want to do it to build more. Railways to improve the roadways to build ramps where we need them. Two trying to extend the subway systems to connect the blue and the Red Line to improve the caliber. Of our transit and roadway system that is so critical to our infrastructure and realize we mark that -- what people to work doing it and it's a daily it's a daily had.

For most people I had to get out to you know I was gone over legislative retirement -- a -- on Friday night -- love to retire the -- I left at 5 o'clock for the poor people -- stick -- do that -- each and every day not only two weeks to a month to polls. The congestion on the pike is absolutely abominable that you people do that every morning every night. Five days a week that is absolutely insane that's a prescription for an also.

Six on 726668. Succeeds Stephen Braintree or WRKO -- mark strays into morning.

Good morning guys and once I got a proposal probably don't -- the board interpretation that the legislature they've ordered all the time I doubt that the idea. Probably will -- an open bridges that sound. It's a nice gains on track Mandela and these. Early modern man what you want people to look at the state.

I agree with Steve on one point there are too many boards and commissions really in the transportation system and that's -- fortunately. Both the Senate bill and the governor's bill are consolidating a lot of those authorities really pretty dramatically dropping a lot of boards and commissions. Reducing the number of commissioners. Trying to make sure that we don't duplicate on human resource expenditures are -- things like that the can be duplicated if you more than one agency. All those things should be done arguably they should be done first but they can't be done too much ahead. Of raising additional revenue unfortunately because every week that we don't raise an additional revenue. We're paying the interest payments on bonds and that cost us a lot more in the long run called -- democratic and can't do it how about this coaxing my -- number one -- that's right that's would you want us to be number one and gas tax. But also an infrastructure no we I'm I don't know that we should be number one guess to extra the country and so sure about six us senate show us us like sexy six homeless right. 680 WR yeah.

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