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People should be living where they can prosper the most. For some it’s not MA, for many it is. For those that could be doing better outside of MA but don’t want to move, what are they entitled to just because their birth certificate says MA? And I’m not even talking about immigrants…there was reference to Californians paying their way here. And if you’re taking your money from MA and moving to a lower cost of living state how are you different from the Californians?
If someone has the means to move to MA and have a life here great. My main issue is all these talks of affordable housing and bending over backwards for people who come here with nothing.
Some people think being born somewhere makes them more special than someone who wasn't. There's a whole mayflower descendant society. Lots of people think theyre better or more entitled than others based on certain attributes. Ooh I went to an Ivy League school or an isl school or I'm a doctor. I could go on.
We need more regional government. Other parts of the country have strong county governments that make more decisions that impact a city and its surrounding communities but not in old ways thinking New England where every municipality is for itself. With stronger regional government, we actually have less government because it eliminates the need for municipalities to have so many decision makers and therefore less bureaucratic red tape. MAPC and the other regional planning agencies don't cut it, they have breath but they don't have teeth.
Yea that’s needed but it is the least likely option.
It's ABSOLUTELY on the state pols to do something. Of course the local towns are going to look after their own (sometimes selfish but not necessarily so) interests, as under the current system it's them who will be picking up the tab for most costs associated with educating the new students, additional public safety and infrastructure. What little incentives the state gives local towns for accommodating new growth, is obtained mostly through strong arming and threats. Under the current education formula, at the end of the day affluent towns are still punished for adding new housing. Even people who are welcoming at a certain level, are not going to roll out the red carpet after the first mention of their kid's class size going from 23 to 30 and cutting art and music classes so they can fund SPED services for all the new kids moving in with existing IEP plans. It's human nature and you would be banging exactly the same drum if it were your own family. In other states where county government is stronger; the cost of providing new schools, roads and such are covered by a larger pool so you don't run into the same opposition to growth. Mass. doesn't have county government, so it needs to happen at the state level.
We already discussed South Weymouth and the insufficient town water, as well as lack of a widened Rte. 3 and fast electrified commuter rail. It's the state that has the power to address ALL of those issues, yet does not. You CANNOT blame the local townspeople, who on average are far more accommodating to housing development than your towns further down Rte. 3. And then you have stuff like the Walpole prison, now shuttered on a large piece of STATE OWNED property that serves absolutely no purpose. Why not sell off that land and use the proceeds to upgrade the Franklin CR line and a new road link to Rte. 1??? These are all solutions our state "leaders" should be working overtime at coming up with to address this dire issue, yet people like yourself make excuses for and expect very little of them. I will continue calling them for the worthless bums that they are. I see zero justification not to cut them to PT like NH does.
MA doesn’t have county government because the Mass municipal association would never allow it. I also feel like it’s in the states constitution. So issues of local funding of schools is a moot point for me. No town will ever want anything new because they fear overcrowded schools (in reality most Mass. school are under populated) and don’t want to build new ones if they aren’t simply replacing old ones. Taking Walpole state prison and developing it into housing would also get shouted down.
Everything you say in paragraph 2 will be shouted down because of the attitudes in paragraph 1. Again just look at the reaction to the housing choice bill. You just have myopic thinkers throwing hissy fits in a bunch of obscure fiefdoms known as towns. The string of Republican governors don’t help with public transit either.
Yea that’s needed but it is the least likely option.
I kind of disagree people know that in like Tennessee you have a County government, a town government (maybe) a school district, a sewer district etc etc.
Like for example Indianapolis has 9 school districts not one.
In New England at least is is very clear who is in charge and things are run through one government.
I think for your average “not super involved in local politics” person the absolute mess of local governments that exist in a lot of the country I’d far less accountable and far more responsive to like 12 weird retirees with nothing better to do
Like if you asked your average Ohio voter what does your village do what does your township do and what does your county do? They couldn’t answer the question.
While here everyone knows it’s the town/city that fails/succeeds ar XYZ public service.
Just look at Transit, it’s the one thing that has somewhat opaque power structure and it’s the service the state is least good at
Last edited by btownboss4; 11-06-2022 at 10:36 AM..
MA doesn’t have county government because the Mass municipal association would never allow it. I also feel like it’s in the states constitution. So issues of local funding of schools is a moot point for me. No town will ever want anything new because they fear overcrowded schools (in reality most Mass. school are under populated) and don’t want to build new ones if they aren’t simply replacing old ones. Taking Walpole state prison and developing it into housing would also get shouted down.
Everything you say in paragraph 2 will be shouted down because of the attitudes in paragraph 1. Again just look at the reaction to the housing choice bill. You just have myopic thinkers throwing hissy fits in a bunch of obscure fiefdoms known as towns. The string of Republican governors don’t help with public transit either.
I am not advocating for replacing local town government with a county government, in fact I am a full supporter of local government and towns' rights to control their own destiny. What I am saying is, some burdens need to be shifted to the state level and that the state could stand to play a more active role in regional planning and cooperation. The housing choice bill is one of the strong arming example I was giving ("accept this $hitty new development nobody wants or we will punish you"). Instead the state should be saying: "If you approve a few thousand housing units, we will upgrade your commuter rail line, fully cover the tuition of every new anticipated student, finally widen and improve that dangerous stretch of roadway in your town, connect you to MWRA so you now have an abundant/reliable water supply...". Of course you will get those who want time frozen and continue to oppose any and all change (despite their town being already dramatically changed whether it saw development or not, only their head is too far up their a$$ to realize such), but I think many more will be surprisingly more accepting if these concerns were addressed and some of the major disincentives removed.
Hello, it's already getting worse and people are moving away. However, the people who are moving away are the ones who were born here and want to live here but are in a way being forced out as they are left with few other choices. Have you taken a gander at housing prices lately or enjoyed a ride on 128 or route 3 at around 7 AM or 3PM? Many people who were born here and want to purchase homes here can't because of the insane prices. People are leaving and have already left for other states. Others I'm sure can't stand the congestion/traffic and maybe they do leave because of that. Everything in moderation. Growth with the infrastructure to support it is good. We don't have that here. We have insanity. The infrastructure is inadequate to support the level of growth and influx here.
So....why are many of those kids who were raised here not getting the salaries they need to live here? I thought this was a free country and we don't tell people to live (like in so called "communist China") but yet some of us are complaining that people are moving here by their free choice and buying houses by their free choices and the prices of homes going up because free market demand? We complain about all this free market choice but we don't want to be like "Communist China".....LOL It sounds like many folks don't really know what they want.
So....why are many of those kids who were raised here not getting the salaries they need to live here? I thought this was a free country and we don't tell people to live (like in so called "communist China") but yet some of us are complaining that people are moving here by their free choice and buying houses by their free choices and the prices of homes going up because free market demand? We complain about all this free market choice but we don't want to be like "Communist China".....LOL It sounds like many folks don't really know what they want.
I think the issue is that not all 'kids' go on to have the same kind of job. Some jobs pay more than others. It seems like the people who get paid less are obviously the ones who can't afford to live here.
For people who want to stay here they do what it takes to be able to stay. For those who don't they have to move. I know a lot of nice people who grew up in certain towns and when they got older they couldn't afford to live in those towns..or they wanted something bigger than what they could get in that town. It seems like people here like to think of those people as losers and underachievers and that isn't always the case. I know a few people who couldn't afford Milton, so they moved to canton. They are doing quite well in life, just wanted more house in Canton.
Personally I dont think the issue is people who grew up here not being able to stay here because of costs. I don't know anybody who could no longer afford MA and HAD to leave. I do know people who by choice left for various reasons. But all these 40b complexes and every town needing to build affordable housing disgusts me. Those are the people who should leave MA or find a different town.
I kind of disagree people know that in like Tennessee you have a County government, a town government (maybe) a school district, a sewer district etc etc.
Like for example Indianapolis has 9 school districts not one.
In New England at least is is very clear who is in charge and things are run through one government.
I think for your average “not super involved in local politics” person the absolute mess of local governments that exist in a lot of the country I’d far less accountable and far more responsive to like 12 weird retirees with nothing better to do
Like if you asked your average Ohio voter what does your village do what does your township do and what does your county do? They couldn’t answer the question.
While here everyone knows it’s the town/city that fails/succeeds ar XYZ public service.
Just look at Transit, it’s the one thing that has somewhat opaque power structure and it’s the service the state is least good at
Here in Maryland Baltimore City has one dysfunctional school district. I'm pretty sure Indianapolis is better. Often times its because they're grouping parts of the city with nearby suburban parts of the metro. Baltimore County is one school district, Montgomery County and Howard County are excellent and they're one school district-for the entire county.
In Maryland some counties have towns and some have virtually no independent towns (Baltimore County). The big election is for county executives. Maryland has a higher median income and lower COL. and MUUUUUCH better highway infrastructure (except Baltimore City).
Townships, as they exist in Ohio (not PA or Jersey), are more a midwestern thing and those states are very successful. Here in Maryland discussion and responsibility around how your area is faring revlolves mostly around County executives and County Council. when I lived in prince Georges's County I knew Rushern Baker (Springfield MA native) had been an improvement over Jack Johnson (corrupt) and was happy to vote for Angela Alsobrooks. Had I lived in Baltimore County I would have voted for "Johnny O" John Olzewski.
MD is a similarly well-educated and wealthy state with a more modern approach to housing and transit. Its pretty dense but a little less so than MA. I thinkits #5 in the country after NJ RI MA CT.
I agree that MA is a terrific, prosperous state. My experience has been nothing but positive. It's great to see the evolution of Boston to a more international city. I hope that policies continue to move in the right direction - prosperity for all the residents.
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