Op-Ed

Christy: Deval's Pike plan another sweet nothing

By Christy Mihos

During the election of 2006, I came to view candidate Deval Patrick as one whose campaign was based upon "whispering promises and sweet nothings."

He did not like my label, and he said so at forums and debates.

Governor Patrick's recent announcement of eliminating about the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority and taking down some toll booths on the western Pike is an example of the governor's campaign lingo.

First, there is no immediate intent to eliminate the western Turnpike tolls and also to eliminate the Authority.

There is a plan to hike tolls on the Boston Extension and the tunnels by $100 million annually - and the Turnpike Authority Board took this vote on Friday, Nov. 14.

The Turnpike has the money and the assets to make the Big Dig bond payments without screwing the public.
                              - Christy MihosWhen government puts out a number, I tend to disbelieve it, as I have never found governments fairly accomplished in telling the truth about anything they want to do.

The only way governments get what they want is to lie about the plan, its effects and certainly the numbers and costs.

So I did a little research on the $100 million toll increase - using the government's numbers and projections from the original Metropolitan Highway System financial, bond prospectus and legislation and the information I had while serving as vice chairman of the Turnpike Authority.

I looked at the daily transactions of the tunnels and the Boston Extension (from Route 128 into Boston.)

The real number is around $152.7 million annually with the contemplated toll increase of $1.50 on the extensions and $3.50 at the tunnels.

This is all new revenue, in a time of recession for some and depression for those who now have no job.

As to the promise to take down the western Pike tolls, the governor now claims that will take about two years to accomplish. His people and legislators represent that taking down the toll plazas will cost the state $100 million to reconfigure the exit ramps and remove the toll booths.

In 1996, Gov. William Weld removed the West Newton toll plaza over a weekend and the cost was $95,000 to take all the structures down and re-pave the road.

Where's the sense of urgency to help the taxpayers and toll payers of our state?

Where's the sense of urgency to help the taxpayers and toll payers of our state?

It's just a sweet nothing Deval is so adept at.

The Turnpike has the money and the assets to make the Big Dig bond payments without screwing the public.

There are leases that are worth millions on the open market and property that can be sold to developers notwithstanding bad times.

Just as an example, my plan, which was introduced to the Turnpike board in September 2003, was to sell the 11 service area plazas to the highest bidder, pay off the western Turnpike bonds, and make good on the promise of 1954 that when the bonds were paid, the toll booths would come down.

In fact, the state pension system was interested in purchasing the service area plazas for an investment and keeping the money in the state. Thereafter the federal highway funds would be available to maintain the roadway.

The board voted unanimously to do exactly this, but my friends on the board wanted to study it first, so they hired a consulting firm for a $1million and it took a year for the study.

By that time, I was off the board and nothing happened.

Unfortunately, the Commonwealth sinks deeper each day and our people are hurt more each day.

Next up for these toll hikes are public hearings in December in East Boston and Framingham where the people will speak - my guess there won't be many "whispering promises or sweet nothings" there.

Christy Mihos, the owner of Christy's of Cape Cod, served as vice chairman and trustee at the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, was an independent gubernatorial candidate in 2006. He lives in West Yarmouth.