The Open Letter is here
As a result of the call to action from Occupy the MBTA, actions in support of public transportation and against the the underfunding and privatization of public transportation are occurring in cities all over the country on April 4, 2012.
In Boston, details about the planned rally and action against service cuts, and fare hikes is here
That link also has the resolution passed by the General Assembly of Occupy Boston, and transmitted to other Occupy General Assemblies.
Shockingly – 27% of Boston’s population in some districts ONLY have the MBTA and do not have vehicles or access to any vehicle. See the following article, which contains a number of charts that REALLY bring home that the plans proposed, either of them, even “somewhat” scaled down would devastate some neighborhoods and cost more in lost business than could be gained by the cuts.
So – check out this chart, come on down on April 4th to the State House – time for Massachusetts to “think Wisconsin”, as the organizers have been saying:
And, for information on the April 4, 2012 “People’s Hearing” and rally, here is the flyer I was handed myself on the MBTA:
So – bring your camera, your camcorder, your video camera – and come on down and make or record history. Your children will thank you, and so will the environment (who needs 300,000 more vehicle trips in a short period of time anyway?)
AmberPaw says
Here is the link (way to go, Boston Herald).
A 50 minute hearing was held, with the super heros sitting in the Board’s seats, since the Board left rather than respond.
JHM says
(( The news story was adequately attributed to the Statehouse News Service. ))
Paddy McTammany, being a person of no taste, was especially taken by the suggestion of one peanut-gllery peanut
Happy days.
_____
P. S.: Would anybody around here happen to know where the Torture Authority found two million dollars to reduce the shortfall from $161M to $159M?
Christopher says
If the T has a certain amount of money to spend, they may have to cut services or hike fares. If you want more money to magically appear in the T’s coffers I think it’s the General Court you need to address.
AmberPaw says
Everyone at OccupytheMBTA knows it is the legislature that dumped the Big Dig debt and Big Dig remediation costs on the MBTA and failed to fund these debts of the MBTA itself. Further, everyone knows who appoints who – so the only remedy IS massive citizen protests, speakouts, peoples’ hearings, and nonviolent protest of all varieties because those in power are content to let our infrastructure rot while showing neither vision nor courage – and keeping those film tax credits and other bogus wastes of the taxpayer’s money flowing. The T employees who keep 50, 60, and 70 year old equipment running, and risk their lvies every night to do so are the heroes. see this article and video to see what I mean: http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/03/23/state-workers-use-spare-time-to-salute-mbta-late-night-workers/
AmberPaw says
http://www.occupyboston.org/2012/03/28/99-rejects-mbtas-austerity-measures/
AmberPaw says
Here is the link to it all!<a href="http://digboston.com/think/2012/03/occupymbta-national-day-of-action-4-4-12/” target=”_blank”>