Abuses in one-party state

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Citizens for Limited Taxation

Abuses in one-party state August 17, 2006

Jack Prindiville, Framingham Metrowest Daily News

Free Fast Lane privileges for board members, top officials, and employees of the Mass Pike are to be discontinued when the new Pike manager takes charge. Wow! This is hard to believe. I will bet 99.9 percent of the public (myself included) had no idea these guys were cruising the Pike gratis, while the rest of us poor slobs were digging deep.
To give you an idea of how outrageous this situation is, imagine -- if you will -- that members of the Mass. Legislature and Congress and all state and federal employees were given exemption from income taxes. In both the case of the Pike Board and our elected representatives, these people play a role in deciding what we should pay. Pike bosses like our elected representatives should not be desensitized to the consequences of their decisions and should bear the same burden as the rest of the public -- whether it is tolls, fees, or taxes.
Outrages of this nature will continue to be par for the course as long as Massachusetts remains a one-party state. Only when we have a more competitive political arena will these abuses be brought to light.

Abuses in one-party state	August 17, 2006
Jack Prindiville, Framingham	Metrowest Daily News
Free Fast Lane privileges for board members, top officials, and employees of the Mass Pike are to be discontinued when the new Pike manager takes charge. Wow! This is hard to believe. I will bet 99.9 percent of the public (myself included) had no idea these guys were cruising the Pike gratis, while the rest of us poor slobs were digging deep. To give you an idea of how outrageous this situation is, imagine -- if you will -- that members of the Mass. Legislature and Congress and all state and federal employees were given exemption from income taxes. In both the case of the Pike Board and our elected representatives, these people play a role in deciding what we should pay. Pike bosses like our elected representatives should not be desensitized to the consequences of their decisions and should bear the same burden as the rest of the public -- whether it is tolls, fees, or taxes. Outrages of this nature will continue to be par for the course as long as Massachusetts remains a one-party state. Only when we have a more competitive political arena will these abuses be brought to light.

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