Not All State Reps Are Scared to Talk About Taxes

State reps Will Brownsberger (D-Belmont) and Alice Peisch (D-Wellesley) met with constituents in Belmont last night to talk about tolls, taxes, road and rails (as reported in the Belmont Citizen Herald). What makes this meeting somewhat remarkable is that it’s relatively rare for lawmakers to talk so frankly and openly about taxes.

But with I-90, commuter rails and Green Line rails running through their respective districts, neither lawmaker can ignore the looming funding problems our state’s transportation entities are facing. Kudos to the solons for bringing in Mike Widmer, President of the Mass. Taxpayers Foundation, to explain the relative merits of several solutions being kicked around Beacon Hill:

Funding solutions

One remedy to the funding problems, Widmer suggested, would be a system of “open road tolling,” along I-93. Electronic tollbooths would take a picture of the license plate of a passing vehicle and bill that person’s credit card each month for travel expenses. He suggested a $1 each way, calling it “a cash cow,” but adding, “there isn’t the political will to do it.”

Another proposal would be to raise gas taxes throughout the state by 20 cents a gallon and split it up between the entities. Widmer proposed putting 12 cents into state roads and bridges, 4 cents to the turnpike authority to keep the tolls from increasing and pay off the Central Artery debt, and another 4 cents to the MBTA. Each 1 cent increase is worth about $30 million, he said. He suggested money for the MBTA since they had to take on about $120 million in debt to mitigate the effects of the Central Artery being constructed around certain segments of the system. While he said it would be difficult to get a gas tax passed, with prices so low, it couldn’t be a better time. He also noted that there has not been a gas tax increase in the state since 1991.

Another 10-cent increase could be added which would completely eliminate the tolls on the turnpike altogether, he said.

Kudos to reps Brownberger and Peisch for educating their constituents and soliciting input.