Had enough of the Toll Increases?
A massive coordinated peaceful protest should be planned around the homes of all who continue to ignore our wishes.... what else is left for us to do? Running the tolls will only hurt our pocket books, a planned slow down on the Pike will only make everyone angry. Let's organize... make this happen... send them a message. If we get enough toll payers to show up around the law breakers homes, perhaps, we will show them we are serious about the continual assault on our pocket books and the continual l disrespect they have towards the will of the voters. It’s up to you… I’m willing to lead this charge… but I can’t do it alone.
Labels: From the candidate
posted by Jim Pillsbury @ 12:21 PM
16 Comments
16 Comments:
Isn't there something we can do inside the system? Can't be that F***** up that somehow, at these public meetings, we can not stop this. I say you way might be necessary, but not until we exhaust all the more acceptable ways. If you really want to be my state rep, then you are going to have to learn to make things happen inside the system. I know that is frustrating, but your way to most of us is a bit extreme. Are you going to show at the public hearing on this and be a voice for the people of Framingham?
Frank,
Thanks for the note... I've spent years and years writing letters, meeting my Reps in person, gathering reams of data and educating them and others to the truth. You may say.. my way is extreme... but I say.. my way works. And if you think they will listen and heed our advice at the public meetings.. then I say.. Good Luck. It has never worked in the past 20 years or so.. and now that we have only ONE Party Rule in this State... they will never never listen. As far as I know, the public meetings will not be in Framingham. Are you old enough to remember Vietnam? the protests? If so... than you will remember all the people who spoke out against the war... and how little effect it had in shaping policy. The March on Washington made a difference. I believe, that some of these people who make the decisions on Toll increases, need an extreme point made. I'm angry... and so are most who have to pay the increase... and it will be lip service at these meetings to those who could care less. As someone who has spent years and years with getting Q2 passed, I know first hand, they don't listen to us. They would hear us.. if we were parked outside their homes.
Jim
I don't know the answer, I just know paying more in tolls is ridiculous. I say we try all the option, including picketing their homes....you do include RIchardson in the homes we picket, right?
Rick,
We have no options left... and yes.. we start with her and move across Town and head towards Boston.
Jim
Picketing people’s homes does not achieve the goal. The goal is to get them to vote in the way the constituents want them to vote, and then to make sure that vote is heard by the Turnpike Authority. The reps did state they were opposed to the hike in Tolls, but the Turnpike Authority staff did not listen. So protesting at Richardson’s house is not going to do anything, she has no say. Protesting at the Turnpike Authority’s homes is going to anger them, which will not necessarily help, but it should garner some press attention, which could help. But it would have to be a huge protest, lots of people, and not all just from Framingham, for it to actually make the news. Not sure that you, or anyone else for that matter, can muster that kind of turnout for a protest at someone’s home on a cold winter day when people have jobs and things of their own to deal with. Not saying I disagree with you, because I don’t, just saying I am not sure we can muster enough people to protest to accomplish anything. I think we need to find out the dates, times and locations of the public meetings, and then get a ground swell effort going tohave those meetings packed with people voicing their opposition to the increases. The media will be there, and if there are thousands of people there against this, then they are going to be under the micropscope and will have to at least acknowledge the unfairness. How do we accomplish that ground swell effort, across all of MetroWest, to turn out at these public meetings? That is the issues at this point, at least that is what I think. Where do we go to recruit people to attend these meetings and speak out?
What the hell are you thinking? Protesting at people’s homes for decisions they make on their jobs? Since when is that something we find acceptable? Do you think it is right to protest in front of the home of a doctor who performs abortions because you are pro-life? How about at the home of a bar owner where a drunk driver was served before being in an accident? I don’t want a half way house opened in the home next to mine, so should I protest at the house managers home because I don’t like the fact that the law says that house can go there? Don’t get me wrong, I am sick of the tolls and the unfair burden metrowest commuters pay. But that does not give me the right to invade someone’s home space for what they do for a job. You have to find a better way that that if you want people to support you.
The issue is the unfair burden that the commuters from Metro West have when it comes to the cost of the big dig. Protesting at someone’s home, speaking out at public hearings, contacting our state rep; none of this is going to accomplish the goal. You want to stop the unfair burden on us? Then show the corruption that has lead to us having this burden! People are sick and tired of the lies and cheats and bribes. Somewhere, someone did not do their job here, or this increase would not be happening. The Governor needs to get involved on the side of the metro west commuter. And we need to kick those idiots on the board who voted for this increase out on their behinds. We all want Richardson out, that is why we write here. But this toll increase, not something she can fix because she is useless and connected to the wrong people. We need to bypass her completely and get to the people who can stop this. Is this legal? Isn’t this, in essence, taxation without representation? Have we looked at the legalities of this increase? Have we researched if other states have had this type of issue? I doubt we are the first to come up against something like this. The MWRA customers pay more than we do for water, we pay more than they do for tolls…where are the richest communities in MA? Many are on the South Shore - Hingham, Cohasset, Duxbury, Harwichport. Yet they pay neither of these exorbitant fees. Makes you wonder why. I say we have 2 months to figure out a legal recourse to this unjust burden, and go at them that way.
Edward, Arnold, Constituent
This truly is, Taxation without Representation.
The point in my mind and I would hope your's to... is that tolls on Rte 93 and Rte 3 are the most effective way to stop the toll increases on the Pike and stop discriminating Mass Pike users, increase revenue and bond ratings. There must be hundreds of willing, angry enough to walk a picket line for an hour or two, in the cold, in front of someone's house, toll payers of all shapes and sizes, from all over the State, to carry a sign and walk a line, to show how frustrated with the lack of representation and control we have with our elected officials and appointee's. I not wrong when I say, just a few make a huge impact.. I know these things first hand. It does work and it is effective.
Have you heard of the Boston Tea Party? Do you remember issue's like, Prop 2 1/2, seat belts? death penalty? Gay Marriage, etc I'm sure you know what I mean here. People who are passionate about their beliefs take to the streets, it's what made this country.
If we don't like the constant disrespect our elected officials show us, mere words, will never sway them. I'm NOT talking about knocking on anyone's doors, nor do I support ANY illegal behavior, but Dammm ..
it's our right to protest... Isn't it? Look at the Teachers, Union Members, Truck Drivers, The Gay and Lesbian Groups, Nurses, Pilots and janitorial groups... they get their message out with a line and some signs in their hands.
If we can't press our rep to do something on our behalf, than we are losing sight of what representative government is all about. She should take the call to arms to Beacon Hill and speak on our behalf, scream if necessary. Can you remember when a public meeting was at night? when we all aren't working? It all starts with her, the Pike people, then the Governor. At this point, I'm less concerned with how they feel and more concerned with the way the Toll Payers feel.
I'm not a legal scholar, so if anyone thinks there's a way...legally to challenge toll discrimination.. please bring it up. I'll do some research for anti toll people in other states on the web.
I'm very open to suggestion here... but I'm going to start a small scale operation and try to get something going before the Holiday. I'll go to any meeting as long as it's at night.
Seems to be considerable disagreement on this stuff. Hey, why not do it all? We can show up at the town meetings, we can write to our state reps, and we can protest at their homes. They signed up for public service, so they should expect that they will be held accountable for their actions. If they can’t take the heat, they should get out of the kitchen. I have a question. If Richardson is “our” rep, then why isn’t she rallying the troops to show up at these Town Meetings to express our dissatisfaction with the fact they are once again raising our tolls? Shouldn’t she be the one organizing us?
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. What a bunch of wimps. Afraid to protest? Then throw a better idea out there. Put up or shut up. At least Pillsbury is willing to do something and not just complain like the rest of you. This situation sucks and we need to stop it or they will see this as an acceptable fix, and they will raise tolls again, and again, and again. That process has worked for them so far, what’s to stop it from working for them again?
Are tolls the only thing anyone in this town is worried about? What about all the empty houses not paying taxes? Getting rid of the tolls won’t fix that. What about the Dover Amendment? Tolls have nothing to do with that. Why is this the only issue that gets people’s engines reving?
I have 2 kids to feed, a mortgage to pay, a small house to heat and a husband who just lost his job with DHL, and my unemployment ran out this week. The tolls,god, I wish I still had to worry about them. There are so many people hurting, lets spend time fixing the most important problems, like how am I going to keep my kids fed and in a warm home when I have no income? What about all the people in our position?
Know what I have had enough of? This whole financial mess. You worried about the tolls? Just one of many messes we need to clean up. DiMasse is a corrupt politician, Kerry is not speaking up for us, Kennedy is too sick to be able to do much more, and Deval is waiting for the call to DC. So, who is looking out for the MA residents? Government just ain't going to help us here, we need to help ourselves, screw them! We need to find a way to get things done ourselves. Abolish the tolls? Sure, but also stop forclosures, open more food pantrys and start looking out for ourselves!
Jason, Friend, Harry,
So the talk seems to be a gas tax…. And I’m not a fan of another increase solely to pay the debt of the Big Dig. The one point that seems to be excluded from all conversations between the Turnpike Board, our reps and Governor are tolls on Rte 93 and Rte 3. While a gas tax seems to be the only alternative to a toll hike, does anyone really believe, the tolls will come down with a tax gas tax increase? Do the people from out of state buy gas here on a regular basis? I for one and perhaps some of you also, believe the only fair revenue source would be tolls on Rte 93 and Rte 3. If I’m all wrong about this, and you taxpayers think it’s a good idea.. .so be it. But I just feel that they would increase the tax and NOT take down the tolls or worse, increase the gas tax and increase the tolls.
The anticipated public meeting, to be held at Nevins Hall, December 17th, 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Written comments can be mailed to General Counsel, Mass Turnpike Authority, 10 Park Plaza, Boston Ma 02116, from January 8th to January 14th. I strongly suggest that everyone who cares about this write to the Mass Pike Authority.
Rebecca,
I'm sorry to hear about your situation. While I offer no real immediate fixes, please know that their are groups in Framingham that can help with food and utility payments and fuel assistance.
I had heard that DHL drivers got a descent exit pay and hopefully your husband can collect while he looks for other employment. Hang tuff as a family and know that your not alone in this, all of America is waiting to see what the new administration will do to help the working class.
jim
yeah, i've had enough, and yeah, i say we protest at their houses. they mess with us, we mess with them.
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