Mass Pike board meeting deferred beyond elections despite protest of 2 of 4 on board

The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority's scheduled meeting this week has been deferred for three weeks apparently to keep unpopular news of toll or tax increases until after the Nov 4 elections. Governor Deval Patrick is a close associate of Democrat presidential candidate Barrack Obama.

A substantial toll or tax increase is almost certain because the Authority is in dire financial straits. The Turnpike faces the need to choose between increasing tolls steeply on the existing Turnpike and harbor tunnels, or instituting tolls on the I-93 Big Dig tunnels and bridges whose funding cost billions of dollars in Turnpike debt.

The only possible alternative to extra toll revenue is for the state to assume the Turnpike's $2 billion-plus Big Dig debt and to announce it will be serviced with major statewide increases in the gasoline tax, motorist license fees and the like. This could be part of a scheme to also raise more money for the lossmaking operations of state transit services.

The postponement of the board meeting was decided at the last minute by the Turnpike chairman Bernard Cohen, who is also state secretary of transportation. He said more time is needed to develop plans to merge the Turnpike operations with those of other state agencies. This affects the Turnpike annual budget which is due to be presented to the Authority board.

Two of the four board members, Mary Connaughton and Judy Pagliuca, opposed postponement of the meeting and say it may be in contravention of the Turnpike bylaws.

Connaughton says every delay in addressing the Turnpike's financial crisis increases the potential cost since possible downrating of the Turnpike's bond rating to junk bond status will trigger demands for penalty payments on complex backloaded financing deals in which the Turnpike was ensnared by previous administrations.

Michael Angelini the other board member went along with the postponement.

Turnpike chair Bernard Cohen says he consulted a new fifth board member, John Jenkins just appointed by the Governor to fill a vacancy. Jenkins had not yet been sworn in as a board member but Cohen said his opinion "counted" nevertheless.

COMMENT: Only thing to be said in mitigation of Bernard Cohen's actions is that a recent predecessor Matt Amorello was worse. Amorello just refused to have any board meetings because he might be outvoted. Board members eventually went to the state supreme court to try to get him ordered to call a board meeting.

TOLLROADSnews 2008-10-27