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| -Land of the Free |
| Mass. toll booths shutting down, union workers get $58k raise. |
| 2014-01-20 |
| [Michael Graham blog] That's how it works in Massachusetts! When travel agents or TV/VCR repairmen or buggy-whip makers lose their jobs due to new technology in the private sector, do they get a raise? No. But when Massachusetts' unionized government workers get phased out by Gov. Patrick's "flyover toll" [electronic bar-coding toll roads] technology, we have to bribe them with raises. The state just cut a deal with the toll takers' union to pay them an additional $24 million through 2016. Simply the cost of avoiding union lawfare. What's all the fuss about. This is why government unions are just a screw job for the taxpayers. The same toll takers who were already getting $60,000 in pay/benefits for the job of handing out slips of paper now get to hold us hostage for $24 million, even though their toll booths won't exist anymore in two years. And check that math: $24,000,000 for 410 unionized toll takers = $58,536 PER WORKER. We're essentially giving them a year's bonus as a reward for the fact that their job can be done better/faster/cheaper by a machine. And you'll be linked to the EPA, IRS, and NSA people monitoring grid. Members of the Patrick administration claim this is a terrific deal because it will save us $50 million a year. Here's the problem: 1-- So we should instead be saving $74 million tax dollars the first year; 2-- Holy crap! We were spending $50 million for legislators' cousins to make change? Oh, and about that $50 million a year in "savings." That doesn't mean savings to you. State politicians are still going to spend that $50 million. And thanks to the flyover tolling you're about to get hit with, they'll have millions more of your money soon. Because while being monitored on your on your way to your second underground economy job to help pay all these taxes, the state of Massachusetts will be sticking flyover tolls on every highway/roadway/walkway in the state. As Gov. Patrick might say, "Enjoy your 'savings,' suckers!" All of this on top of state and federal fuel and licensing taxes. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #5 figuring out change - even when the machine figures it for you is math... Math is hard! |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2014-01-20 16:43 |
| #4 Better pay them the $24M otherwise we would have to spend years training the next generations of toll takers on the best way to take drivers' money and give them a receipt. |
| Posted by: gorb 2014-01-20 15:17 |
| #3 Two questions: 1. Will they receive priority when applying for other state jobs ? 2. Does the extra money factor into their retirement calculations? |
| Posted by: Pappy 2014-01-20 12:54 |
| #2 There is a strong conservative/libertarian argument to made in favor of toll roads. But I hate them. To me it represents a complete failure of government to perform its most basic tasks. If they can't even keep up with making enough roads and maintaining then how the hell do they expect to get anything else right? It also goes against my strong preference of living in a wealthy country. Poor countries have no choice but to nickel and dime you to death. In wealthy countries there simply isn't any need to bother with such things. America is becoming poorer (thank you boomers, liberals, illegals and other useful idiots) and I resent having my nose constantly rubbed in it. |
| Posted by: Iblis 2014-01-20 10:56 |
| #1 Hey all that money can be used to pay for Sex change ops for prisoners! |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2014-01-20 07:55 |