Blogs

The live-blogging didn't quite go as planned, due to a complete absence of a wireless network in the auditorium. Nonetheless, I still "live blogged" to a text document, and here's the blow-by-blow. K is John Kerry, and Q1 through Q14 are different questioners from the audience.

Congratulations are in order to Metroleft founder Dan Sohl and his wife Kate on the birth of their son, Macarthur Glenn, on Monday 5/21.

Born: 12:27PM, Monday 5/21
Height: 21"
Weight: 6 lbs 9.4 oz

All the best to the newest progressive and his parents!

The MetroWest Daily News leads off on their front page today with a story on the age old question of paper or plastic? Unsurprisingly, feelings are mixed.

Plastic is far cheaper, which is why often the store will start bagging with plastic unless you tell them otherwise. I'm hardly even asked anymore; I have to stop the cashier and say, "Paper, please."

Paper, on the other hand, is bio-degradable. Plastic takes centuries to break down, but paper is gone much more quickly. Both are recyclable, of course, but not every bag makes it to the recycling bin, so the long-term effects should be considered.

Why do I go for paper?

In the waning days of the Romney administration, it was suggested -- as a campaign stunt for Healey, no doubt -- that Pike tollbooths be eliminated. And yet, the idea is not without merit for those of us in MetroWest.

The original plan behind the Mass Pike was for it to pay for itself. Construction of the Pike was funded by the sale of bonds, and the tolls were intended to repay and buy back those bonds. This happened a long time ago for the portion of the Pike west of 128. The section inside of 128 is newer, and compounded by the fact that the Turnpike Authority is responsible for the Big Dig, so the situation there is muddied.

Ignoring the eastern part of the Pike, a look at the rest of the Pike reveals a road that collects $114 million in revenue each year, and spends $8 million on policing it, $43 million on collecting the tolls, and $63 million actually maintaining the road. Yes, more than one third of the money collected goes towards that same collection effort.

All the other highways in the state under the aegis of MassHighway have their maintenance paid for by the state gas tax, currently 21 cents/gallon. Folks who drive on the Pike get hit with a double whammy -- the gas they use on the pike is taxed, and their drive also gets hit with the tolls.

Tonight marked the first meeting of 2007 for the Natick Democratic Town Committee, and it was quite active. I humbly think we are off to a great start.

The purpose of the meeting was three-fold: 1) To elect new officers, as is usually done in the first meeting of a calendar year. 2) To welcome new members, particularly folks who were involved in the Patrick/Murray campaign but had never been to a DTC meeting. 3) To discuss plans for the upcoming year.