I think this came up before a few months ago, and the short version was that it looks like using the money to keep fares down would be somehow impermissible because it wouldn't directly stimulate the economy by putting new money in the hands of people, it would merely let T users keep more of the money they already have.
My question would be less about the fare hike (I assume that's going to be shoved down our craws no matter what), and more about using this for non-capital projects that still would infuse the money into the local economy via wages. Like maybe hire some mechanics to take care of the gigantic deferred maintenance backlog if we could do that. I know maintaining things before they break is antithetical to the MBTA way of doing things, but I feel like taking those sorts of crazy risks with this money.
but Obama's and Congress' stimulus packages are starting to remind me of Iraq reconstruction funding- tough to track spending or say what got accomplished although a lot of money is changing hands.
Comments
No chance of
nixing the fare hike with that money- new capital projects only or something?
That's my understanding
I think this came up before a few months ago, and the short version was that it looks like using the money to keep fares down would be somehow impermissible because it wouldn't directly stimulate the economy by putting new money in the hands of people, it would merely let T users keep more of the money they already have.
My question would be less about the fare hike (I assume that's going to be shoved down our craws no matter what), and more about using this for non-capital projects that still would infuse the money into the local economy via wages. Like maybe hire some mechanics to take care of the gigantic deferred maintenance backlog if we could do that. I know maintaining things before they break is antithetical to the MBTA way of doing things, but I feel like taking those sorts of crazy risks with this money.
You never read about a new
You never read about a new WalMart coming in 74% over budget and two years late. Hmmmm.....
When has WalMart ever announced its store construction budgets?
Public projects are, well, public. A lot of incompetency in the private sector gets hidden - at least until the company collapses (see Enron).
How's that new tower where
How's that new tower where Filene's was coming along?
I hate to say it
but Obama's and Congress' stimulus packages are starting to remind me of Iraq reconstruction funding- tough to track spending or say what got accomplished although a lot of money is changing hands.