Radical Ideas for the T and Housing Affordability (Boston, Cambridge: sublets, apartment)

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by mp775

Correction, a graduated income tax requires the legislature to pass a constitutional amendment.

The legislature can't amend the constitution. Only the voters can do that via a referendum. See the 48th article.
Link to the state constitution Article XLVIII: https://malegislature.gov/laws/const...tArticleXLVIII



The flat state income tax is the only reason why the tax rate hasn't spiraled out of control. In 1970, the state was "Taxachusetts". In 2019, it's middle of the pack nationally as everyone else hiked taxes on "rich people" and gradually let inflation push the middle class into those rich people brackets. With a flat tax, everyone feels the pain equally.



The state has everyone's state tax returns and they know where you work from employer withholding data. There's no reason why a Charlie Card can't be means tested in a totally automated way. If you want a lower fare, you register your Social Security number and the state computes your means tested fare. Somebody commuting to a $15/hour Boston job from a Lawrence Section 8 housing rides for free. The white collar professional sitting next to them pays full fare.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

The legislature can't amend the constitution. Only the voters can do that via a referendum. See the 48th article.
Link to the state constitution Article XLVIII: https://malegislature.gov/laws/const...tArticleXLVIII



The flat state income tax is the only reason why the tax rate hasn't spiraled out of control. In 1970, the state was "Taxachusetts". In 2019, it's middle of the pack nationally as everyone else hiked taxes on "rich people" and gradually let inflation push the middle class into those rich people brackets. With a flat tax, everyone feels the pain equally.



The state has everyone's state tax returns and they know where you work from employer withholding data. There's no reason why a Charlie Card can't be means tested in a totally automated way. If you want a lower fare, you register your Social Security number and the state computes your means tested fare. Somebody commuting to a $15/hour Boston job from a Lawrence Section 8 housing rides for free. The white collar professional sitting next to them pays full fare.

So taking 5% from someone making 45k feels the same as taking 5% from someone making 150k? I beg to differ.

[Boston Shudra]

Originally Posted by masssachoicetts

Yes its more extensive, but NYC is 4x larger than Greater Boston. So it should be... lol

You’re saying that Boston subway doesn’t need to be extensive? That it’s ok for the trains to not serve most of Roxbury, Mattapan, Hyde Park, Roslindale, and West Roxbury?

I went to a Boston Public School for middle and high school, and had to take the commuter rail every morning to get to school on time. It ran once every hour and it was usually late. It’s awful how un-extensive the T is.

I saw an article that called for the Fairmount Line to be converted into a subway. That would be great, and it’d also be nice if the Orange Line were extended to West Roxbury.

And every time I go to NYC, I park in the Bronx and take the 4/5/6 into Manhattan. I then mostly use the MTA to travel around Manhattan before taking it home. I remember it being usually not more than 5 minutes of waiting between trains. Over the summer, at Savin Hill it was “15 to 35 minutes” until the next train to South Station.

When was the last time that an MTA train derailed!? A google search says 1991? And 1928 before that? It happened twice in Boston this year. Probably the only reason nobody died is because the T doesn’t move fast enough for that to be a concern.

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

So taking 5% from someone making 45k feels the same as taking 5% from someone making 150k? I beg to differ.

This.

[massnative71]

People are missing a huge part of the problem here, that the state's transportation system has been held hostage by prevailing wage laws and the "Pacheco" law that raise costs of construction (and in some cases day to day operations) to an obscene level. Not ONE governor including Baker has done a thing to address this. There is at least $1 billion of waste in the state budget that should be redirected towards transportation before asking the taxpayers for more revenue. Given the years of neglect and scope of the costs to bring the system to where it needs to be, it's possible additional taxes are needed even after reforms are made. But it will be a very hard sell to the public, should our leaders ask for more without demonstrating some responsibility on their end.




As far as Gov. Baker the Faker I can't stand the guy, but I don't know how one could say (with a straight face) that a 3rd term for Patrick would be the answer to anything. He was very underwhelming when it came to transportation.

[bugelrex]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

So taking 5% from someone making 45k feels the same as taking 5% from someone making 150k? I beg to differ.

Along the same lines, why not mandate all business to price their goods according to the customer's income. Surely a millionaire should pay $20 for a cup of coffee, a student should pay $1 and someone in poverty only pay 50 cents. Since $20 is just pocket change for the millionaire.. fair share right?

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by massnative71

People are missing a huge part of the problem here, that the state's transportation system has been held hostage by prevailing wage laws and the "Pacheco" law that raise costs of construction (and in some cases day to day operations) to an obscene level. Not ONE governor including Baker has done a thing to address this. There is at least $1 billion of waste in the state budget that should be redirected towards transportation before asking the taxpayers for more revenue. Given the years of neglect and scope of the costs to bring the system to where it needs to be, it's possible additional taxes are needed even after reforms are made. But it will be a very hard sell to the public, should our leaders ask for more without demonstrating some responsibility on their end.




As far as Gov. Baker the Faker I can't stand the guy, but I don't know how one could say (with a straight face) that a 3rd term for Patrick would be the answer to anything. He was very underwhelming when it came to transportation.

It wasnt an issue really at the time. It wasnt a part of the political conversation and public discourse. THere were other much more pressing issues-most notably the great recession. He was pivotal in building those additional stops on the Fairmount line and wanted to order those DMUs. He certainly wouldnt have to be dragged kicking and screaming into alotting more funds to the MBTA given its current state. Baker literally waits for people to almost die before eher does anything.

[Bridge781]

I could go on about the T for hours. The problem is too many people take it. The red, orange, blue and green lines are priced fairly in my opinion. It’s the commuter rail prices that are ridiculous. Zone 1a is 90 a month but somehow zone 1 is $214 a month. I have used the zone 1 line for Hyde park which is 6.50 a ride and the fairmount line is 2.65 or something like that. The prices make no sense.

I have worked at 2 different places that offer 50% off the pass and I’ve even seen some companies that pay the whole thing. Why do more companies not do this? Most people taking the commuter rail or train are taking it because that’s the only option. Driving really isn’t an option many times. I think this has become the problem. Jobs know people are limited in how they can get there. The mbta also knows they are the only option in many cases. There’s no reason for them to make many improvements and they continue to raise fares because as outraged as people will be they will still take it because they have to. What’s the other option? Drive and sit in traffic and pay an exorbitant amount for parking (and gas) or take an Uber?

Not sure how I feel about lower income people getting a pass. Lower income people get many passes in this city. What is lower income anyways? The people who suffer are the middle class. No one wants to pay 300 a month to get to work by a crappy train.

[Boston Shudra]

Originally Posted by bugelrex

Along the same lines, why not mandate all business to price their goods according to the customer's income. Surely a millionaire should pay $20 for a cup of coffee, a student should pay $1 and someone in poverty only pay 50 cents. Since $20 is just pocket change for the millionaire.. fair share right?

Is this coffee company responsible for improving our roads, bridges, parks, schools, and trains?

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by Bridge781

Most people taking the commuter rail or train are taking it because that’s the only option. Driving really isn’t an option many times. I think this has become the problem. Jobs know people are limited in how they can get there. The mbta also knows they are the only option in many cases. There’s no reason for them to make many improvements and they continue to raise fares because as outraged as people will be they will still take it because they have to. What’s the other option? Drive and sit in traffic and pay an exorbitant amount for parking (and gas) or take an Uber?

Yep, captive market. Bottom line.

[Bridge781]

I have been a promoter of WFH for a while. I think some places are ok with it but there’s a big stigma there still. People working from home will get them off the roads and trains.