Friday, February 20, 2009

Turnpike ordered to give raise

This will make your blood boil.

Let's hope that a court ruling will change this

http://www.boston.com/news/local
/massachusetts/articles/2009/02/
20/turnpike_ordered_to_
give_workers_raise/

19 Comments:

At February 20, 2009 at 12:26 PM , Blogger concerned voter said...

How can any judge in todays economic environment possibly order a raise of 10%? What planet does this judge live on? So the increase in our gas tax is going to pay for someone else's raise. This gets more ridiculous ever day!

 
At February 20, 2009 at 12:46 PM , Blogger Jim Pillsbury said...

CV... Amen

Top Exces at MSPCA are getting over 200K in salary. Just like Framingham and its decision to give a huge pay check to the new Super... out of touch with reality.

On a brighter note, B Madoff's two sons are now implicated in the old mans ponzie scheme. And Bank of America was just served papers to disclose when they knew what about Merril Lynch and all those billions in bonus money. My money is on Bank of America being taken over by the Feds.

 
At February 20, 2009 at 1:41 PM , Blogger Worried 01701 said...

Do you really think the feds are going to take banks over? Is that a good thing? Will it just be some banks, all banks, or just Bank of America do you think? SHould I be switching banks, I use Bank of America now?

 
At February 20, 2009 at 2:07 PM , Blogger Jim Pillsbury said...

Worried... I've pulled my money from Bank for the oblivious reasons.. after I saw him testify in front of Congress last week, CEO pay, bad and greedy decisions, etc. And now I hear the news about the feds asking Bank for details about more money that was given in bonusus.

A bunch of small regional banks would do us all a great service, instead of one huge bank that controls everyone and everything. The Feds have gotten the names of account holders from the Swiss... wait until you see the names on those accounts and the money they have not paid taxes on.. or even reported.

I do believe a few banks will be taken over, Nationalized or some form of controlled. It would not be doomsday, in my opinion and may help kick start our confidence in the Banking system

 
At February 20, 2009 at 2:07 PM , Blogger Old soldier said...

Government take over of the banks is the first step in the downfall of Capitalism. If we go down this road we will make Lenin a prophet. Lenin said that Capitalism will end by hanging itself with the rope we sell them. Seems like he was right.

 
At February 20, 2009 at 2:48 PM , Blogger Unknown said...

When does the bullshit ever end? A gas hike, a toll hike, and a pay raise of 10% in the worst economy this nation and state have ever seen. These people are already overpaid to sit in a box and take our money now, and we are going to give then a 10% raise? Aren’t raises suppose to be earned, not just given? How can you earn a 10% increase for doing a great job when the only thing you are expected to do is make change?

 
At February 20, 2009 at 4:04 PM , Blogger Michael said...

Where the hell did they find an arbitrator who said the raise had to be paid? Does this guy live on another planet or something? A contract is a contract right? Except if your contract was with a bank, a financial institution, your employer who is going bankrupt, or your credit card companies. All those can be completely ignored. But if you have a contract with the union members employed by the MA Turnpike authority, you have to honor that contract no matter what, even if it means charging every single person who buys gas in the state of MA an extra 19 cents a gallon. Sound fair and equitable to you?

 
At February 20, 2009 at 5:34 PM , Blogger Fred J. said...

Time to storm the castle. THis is beyond absurd. Who the hell do they think they are taking money out of our pockets to put it in someone else's?

 
At February 20, 2009 at 11:29 PM , Blogger J. Price said...

This is like getting screwed without even getting a decent meal first! Enough already. If we cry Uncle, will they stop adding on the cost of supporting the corruption here in MA? Jim, what recourse do any of us have?

 
At February 22, 2009 at 6:27 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lets hope this never comes to pass. What a message that would send to those of us struggling to get by. I can not believe anyone is really going to let this happen

 
At February 23, 2009 at 9:27 AM , Blogger Doreen said...

Jim do you know when the final decision on this will be made, and who will be making that decision? I am thinking a massive letter, email campaign to the person making the decision may be in order. What do you think?

 
At February 23, 2009 at 11:08 AM , Blogger Help said...

I heard today that we are going to have the tax on gas, and the Toll board is going to vote for the toll increase, but then the increase will get over ruled by the Governor or something. Is that right? Why would you vote for something just so you can have someone overturn it? I guess I just don’t trust that this is how it will actually happen. Somehow, I figure they are going to try and stick us with both of these. Anyone know anything about this process that will make sure we don’t end up paying both?

 
At February 23, 2009 at 2:07 PM , Blogger Jim Pillsbury said...

Doreen,

I believe the funds, check, wire transfers will happen this week. Deval has a list and has the new man and a few new committees to look over the list and prioritize. Decisions have already been made on some stuff, some building, repair of roads, etc, can't get going for another two months or so. As soon as I hear the check has cleared, I will post on the blog and let everyone know.

I love the idea, it just may be to early to start.

 
At February 23, 2009 at 2:16 PM , Blogger Jim Pillsbury said...

Help,

My fear also... we pay a higher gas tax and the toll increases are somehow left in place.

It's a shell game with them. Disguising their moves under the cup of transportation reform.

The Gov will be forced to take whatever the Reps get behind with no recourse.

The BOD will have to approve a toll hike, to stave off bond issues, first, then the Reps will fight over a meals tax and other increases in taxes, then a week from now, those Reps will vote for all kinds of increases and we will be forced just watch.

 
At February 24, 2009 at 11:09 AM , Blogger Not my problem said...

Will any of this higher gas tax be used to pay this salary increase? If it is, I think we may have a legal right to prevent this from happening. How do we find this out Jim?

 
At February 25, 2009 at 10:52 AM , Blogger Framingham resident said...

Didn’t Richardson stand up at the toll meeting in Framingham and say that the Turnpike Authority needed to give the legislators time to put another option together? And wasn’t that meeting held on December 17th? And hasn’t more than 2 months passed since that meeting? And has Richardson done what they said they would do? Not that I can see! So the legislators are to blame for the toll hike, not necessarily the Turnpike Authority, or more accurately, both are to blame, and neither of them gives a damm about us. The difference is that Richardson is paid to give a damm about us, so what does that say about her?

 
At February 25, 2009 at 11:10 AM , Blogger Jim Pillsbury said...

FR,,, how absolutely correct you are.

They had months (Legislators) to make alternative plans... and the jury is still out on the point weather the Pike BOD HAD to do something last night... or maybe not. This point will be damming if they didn't need to approve anything in a toll increase.

I'm not sure.. who is more inept at this point... Deavl with his idea's that somehow weren't filled until late yesterday? Or the Pike BOD.

I honestly believe we will see the toll increase AND the gas tax increase, by April. This may... may, even be enough to awaken the voters who only vote on the Presidents election cycle... because now... they will see and feel... what we've been talking about for years. The dysfunctional State of our representation at the State House.

This Patriots Day could be the day, people stand up and say uncle.

 
At February 25, 2009 at 12:05 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jim I notice the Turnpike Authority passed the Toll Increase yesterday. They say they will rescind the increase if the tax on gas passes, but they don’t say when they will rescind it. Sounds to me like here in Metrowest we are going to be stuck paying both, just as you said. Now what do we do?

 
At February 25, 2009 at 12:46 PM , Blogger Jim Pillsbury said...

Anon,

Yeah it looks like they have taken advantage of us again.. here in the West.

I'm waiting to see what if anything is going to happen with Deval's proposals... and the house and senate... will they dog it? will they make us feel better by lowering the gas tax and keeping the tolls higher. I don't believe for a New York minute, that if the tolls were raised, they would cut them back to some level. It costs big money (Turnpike) to re due software and printing of tickets for any price change. And who among us has ever seen a roll back of tolls or taxes?

It's a wait and see what they do... as I see it. We have so little control over this now, but this could drag out for another month or so... and then, perhaps with a little better weather... some my want to storm the State House... and demand action. I know some would like to do that now....

 

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