Welcome to the Turnpike Watch. Here your Cap’n will try to stuff all things relating to the Massachusetts Turnpike that pops up in the news.
Boston Herald Updated Commonwealth of Massachusetts “Find a Hack” Website ( this can be used to find all state depts.)
2006 Massachusetts Turnpike Payroll in MS Excel located at HowieCarr.com
Commonwealth v. Bechtel (ceiling collapse)
August 29, 2007
Todays Boston Herald has an article by Casey Ross about potential new tolls being erected in the Commonwealth. The new tolls would include the following:
- New tolls on Interstate 93 and other highway. (probably 91, the 95s, maybe Rt. 3? – Cap’n)
- Tolls reflecting time of travel, i.e. a congestion fee, or a rush hour increase.
- Increasing the gas tax
The Commonwealth has a commission studying how to increase funding for infrastructure claiming that the Commonwealth has a $ 20 Billion deficit to overcome in the next 20 years. In addition to instituting the above mentioned tolls, this early draft recommends slashing costs for pensions and police details. Cap’n will leave the snide comments for the main page.
September 19, 2007
Today’s Boston Herald has Gov. Patrick floating the trial balloon of slashing payroll costs on the Pike.
Highlights:
Patrick aides would not discuss how many jobs will be cut, but in public statements and in briefing documents, the administration has made clear that it is aggressively searching for waste in the Turnpike’s $89 million annual payroll.
A financial presentation distributed Monday called for “potential reduction of current staff” as one way of cutting costs at the authority, which is battling to plug a $90 million financial hole due to increasing Big Dig costs and declining toll revenues.
Fat salaries at the Pike have long been a source of public outrage. The authority currently employs 60 “senior toll collectors” who are paid $59,000 a year, according to payroll records. That’s nearly double the pay of starting teachers and many assistant district attorneys in Massachusetts.
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