Thursday, December 13, 2012
Gov. Deval Patrick says the state’s toll system will be fully automated by 2015.
Though users of the EZPass service never have to stop for a toll collector on the Mass Pike now, in just over two years, no one will have to. Plus, drivers won't even have to slow down when they glide through, just like the setup on New Hampshire's tollway. Gov. Deval Patrick said this week that all toll collectors will be phased out by 2015 to make way for a fully automated toll taking system on the Mass Pike, according to Boston.com. Patrick the state will provide a “dignified and soft landing” for the 410 toll workers who would be laid off, according to the news site. Do you think the state should move to the new automated system or should Massachusetts stick with the system in place now? Tell us in the comments.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Town Administrator said the bigger problems could come in 2014.
Gov. Deval Patrick announced plans to close a $540 million state budget deficit this week through a combination of cuts and transfers from the state's "rainy day" fund. The proposed cuts, some of which require the approval of the legislature, would reduce the state's planned aid to Burlington in the current fiscal year, FY2013, by roughly $70,000. While that may seem like a lot of money, Town Administrator John Petrin said he is not too worried about the impact. "It's not going to have a lot of impact at this point in time," Petrin said. "I certainly have concern moving forward for what FY14 will bring. But as far as fiscal year '13 the numbers we've seen, I think, will impact the reserve aspect of the accounts. 1 percent of state aid is …
Sunday, November 25, 2012
The Internet giant has been exempt from collecting sales taxes in Massachusetts but some say that changed when it bought a North Reading company this year.
The Patrick Administration is arguing that after Amazon, the huge online retailer, bought a Massachusetts company this year it is no longer exempt from collecting the state's 6.25 percent sales tax as soon as the 2013 holiday season. Under federal law, online retailers are not required to collect state sales taxes if they do not have a physical presence in the state, such as an office building or a store, the Boston Globe reported. But Amazon bought North Reading company Kiva Systems this year, and is recruiting engineers for a Cambridge office, according to the Globe report. This, Patrick says, means it needs to start collecting the state sales tax in Massachusetts. Amazon has faced similar pressure from other states and collects …
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Rumor has it that Patrick could be asked to be the next U.S. attorney general.
Gov. Deval Patrick said will not resign from his job even if President Obama asks him to become the next U.S. attorney general. “I like what I do, and I have more that I want to accomplish in the next two years,” Patrick said, according to a Boston Globe article. “And then I promised [my wife] Diane that I’d go back into the private sector, and I’m going to keep that promise.” This means that Patrick will remain governor until his term expries, in January 2015. Rumors have been swirling about Patrick's possible departure after Obama won re-election and a few nights later Patrick was among the few to attend what was called a "social dinner" at the White House. Patrick said there was no talk at the dinner about him joining the …
Friday, September 28, 2012
In a live chat on Patch Thursday, Gov. Deval Patrick said he approves of the extraordinary step of allowing release to defense attorneys of State Police interviews with alleged "rogue chemist" Annie Dookhan.
Gov. Deval Patrick took part in a live chat on Patch Thursday. In it, he spoke about the scandal engulfing the State Drug Lab in Jamaica Plain. That's where so-called "rogue chemist" Annie Dookhan is alleged to have tainted the evidence in as many as 34,000 cases. Thousands of drug dealers behind bars could go free (and some have already been released.) Asked by Patch for a progress report on the mammoth task of dealing with the fallout, here's what the governor typed: The criminal investigation is ongoing. Yesterday, in a very unusual move, prosecutors gave defense attorneys all the notes of State Police interviews of witnesses to date, including the notes of the interview of Annie Dookhan, the chemist at the center of this. Given the …
The governor, during a live chat with Patch, expressed skepticism about the legalization of medical marijuana, though he sympathized with patients in pain.
Governor Deval Patrick said he would likely vote no on Question Three this fall. During a Thursday live chat with Patch, a reader asked Patrick how he would vote on the ballot question and whether the governor was for or against the legalization of cannabis. "I am not too energized on this issue, personally. California's experience has been mixed. I will probably vote against it. I respect the opposing view, though, especially those whose concern is for people in constant pain," wrote the governor in response. Proponents say medical marijuana will help ease the pain and suffering of cancer patients and other eligible residents. Opponents, meanwhile, say the law is a back door to full legalization, and that medical marijuana can be …
Asked about toll fairness during a Patch live chat, Governor Deval Patrick asked a reader whether he'd support high-speed tolls. Are these a good way to share the transportation funding pain, or another money grab?
Are high-speed tolls along Interstate 93 and other highways a smart way to help fund transportation in the state? Governor Deval Patrick mentioned such a system during a Patch live chat on Thursday. If you've gone up Interstate 95 into New Hampshire, you've seen high-speed tolling in action. The system is designed to read your EZ-Pass (new Fast Lane) transponder while you breeze by at 65 miles per hour. There's no need to slow down or squeeze though a booth, as EZ-Pass users currently do on the Mass Pike, Tobin Bridge and harbor tunnels. The chat moved on to other topics, so no details about implementation were offered. What do you think? Would tolls along I-93 offer some fairness to riders in Boston, MetroWest and North Shore, who all …
Asked about toll fairness during a Patch live chat, Governor Deval Patrick asked a reader whether he'd support high-speed tolls. Are these a good way to share the transportation funding pain, or another money grab?
Are high-speed tolls along Interstate 93 and other highways a smart way to help fund transportation in the state? Governor Deval Patrick mentioned such a system during a Patch live chat on Thursday. If you've gone up Interstate 95 into New Hampshire, you've seen high-speed tolling in action. The system is designed to read your EZ-Pass (new Fast Lane) transponder while you breeze by at 65 miles per hour. There's no need to slow down or squeeze though a booth, as EZ-Pass users currently do on the Mass Pike, Tobin Bridge and harbor tunnels. The chat moved on to other topics, so no details about implementation were offered. What do you think? Would tolls along I-93 offer some fairness to riders in Boston, MetroWest and North Shore, who all pay…
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Gov. Deval Patrick speaks with Patch readers live at 1:30 p.m. Thursday. What questions do you want him to answer?
- GOVERNMENT
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Tuesday, September 25, 2012
If you could ask Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick one question, what would it be? Patrick will join Patch Thursday at 1:30 p.m. for a live chat with readers. Now's your change to ask the executive of the commonwealth your question about casinos, the JP crime lab, the economy, elections or whatever else you want to know Can't make it to the live chat? Leave your questions for Patrick in the comments to have them considered for the live Q&A session. We'll be sure to ask about the most popular topics when we chat Thursday. To join Thursday's chat, head on over to Burlington Patch from 1:15 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday.
Ask Gov. Deval Patrick about any topic you like during our live chat at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
- GOVERNMENT
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Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Gov. Deval Patrick will take your questions live on Patch this Thursday. The governor will spend 45 minutes fielding your questions as they come. Head on over to Burlington Patch from 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. on Thursday to join our chat. You'll simply have to provide your name, and you'll be able to ask your questions immediately. If you can't make the live chat, leave your questions as comments to this article, and we'll do our best to add them to the queue. We will publish the live chat transcript immediately and a recap first thing on Friday morning. Questions submitted will be subject to moderator approval. No vulgar or libelous comments will be allowed. Because we expect a high volume of questions for the chat session, we will keep …
Kemper
10:15 am on Monday, November 26, 2012
Tax it all Governor Patrick. You have to fund the freebies and your incompetant friend's salaries. more ›