In the News: Poll Shows Majority Support Gas Tax

A poll conducted by Opinion Dynamics shows a majority of Massachusetts voters favor a gas tax increase that funds transportation needs.  Read the story here.

Secretary Aloisi visited Taunton to boost reform and affirm the Governor's commitment to South Coast Rail.  Read here.

Comments

[R.J.]

I'm glad to see that posters here are questioning the statement that "majority supports gas tax". When I read this, I thought - Gee that's funny... No one asked me how I felt about the gas tax".

I certainly have mixed feelings about this. Clearly there is a need to fix the problems with our transportation since they've been ignored for a very long time. While the intent is genuine, I have to say the timing is abysmal given the state of the economy. The outcome of such a grand plan is always hard to nail down.

Realistically, the MBTA and its various partners should've been addressing their fiscal mess a long long time ago. The Massachusetts Legislature should've been working on an equitable and realistic solution to the mess it got the MBTA into years ago when it approved "forward funding" for the transportation agency.

Now saddled with billions of debt, rising costs and a relatively high number of unhappy customers, the T is pulling all the rabbits out of its hat to distract commuters that their service really is that bad.

I rode the Middleboro commuter rail for three years and got to work and home late just about every day. For $340 a month (rail + parking) one should be able to expect better service, and timely service. Instead we get aging defective equipment, apoplectic MBCR/MBTA employees and all kinds of excuses for what trains repeatedly run 5 to 30 minutes late year round.

Today I carpool and get to work/home on-time, in the company of a number of regular commuters I now call friends and I'm saving about $150 per month. Can't beat that. So before the State House and the Legislature think they've got a green light on the tax increase, they probably should take a second look.

As for the rail expansion to the SouthCoast - probably not a good idea. Might sound nice, and it might help a few people out, but the cost will likely be above $300/month for a pass plus parking and commuters will have to consider a 1.5 to 2 hour one-way ride to Boston from the outermost points.

Some of the poorest citizens in the poorest communities will end up paying the most to ride the rail to Boston. Just doesn't make sense. A better solution would be an HOV lane that extends all the way down Rte 24 and terminates at the South Station Vanpool HOV lane off 93N without any need to re-enter traffic.

[DMW]

Those who use cars where public transportation is available pollute everyone's environment unnecessarily so they should definitly not be the ones to compain about paying higher taxes. Laws prosecute people who smoke in others' presence because they affect the health of non-smokers. Yet damages from gas emissions are much more wide-ranging. Those who choose to pump out their gas emissions have got it wrong; it is they who continue to do so with impunity and others who are paying dearly for their laxness.

[Peter j Smith]

No way does the majority support the gas tax hike, or any other tax increase for that matter. How can you raise taxes when you just added to the state payroll by filling a job that had been vacant for 12 years and paid over $100,000 for the post. Get real.

[TiredOfUnearnedWelfare]

Is that right? I don't. I am in favor of raising tolls and public transportation fees. Why should I have to pay more taxes for transportation? I have to pay for insurance, car payments, excise tax, state gas tax, and tolls. Now I have to pay for MBTA users as well? Pssst. Why don't you people chip in for my payments? This welfare for Boston is insane. DP - why don't you let the mayor run Boston and you run the state.