Seniors & People with Disabilities
It seems like a thousand new partnerships and coalitions are popping up all over the place protesting the proposed MBTA cuts and fare hikes – not quite the thousand flowers Chairman Mao was encouraging but apparently that was a misquote anyway .
After weeks of organizing Inside and Outside of the State, the essential question is “Do we spend time collecting more stories or is it time for our policy makers to come up with some solutions.” This Dorchester Reporter/SHNS article states the problem well and Rep Byron Rushing states the solution perfectly.
Inside the State House, dozens of Lawmakers have met and asked tough questions and tried to get some commitments.
The frustration at Thursday’s meeting of the Legislature’s MBTA caucus was palpable: Rep. Denise Provost (D-Somerville) asked “What do we say to these people? Move? Buy a car? I don’t have an answer,” she said.
Rep. Carl Sciortino (D-Medford) offered the only nod to the possibility of a solution to avoid fare hikes and service cuts, asking Davis whether the MBTA would have the flexibility to undo any of its budget decisions if the Legislature offered a lifeline later in the year.
“I would say we have flexibility,” Davis replied.
Meanwhile outside the State House there was a lot happening at the Boston Public Library demonstrating the developing public coalition between T Riders , Seniors, Young People and the disabled was covered best by DIG Boston with truly wonderful pics.
Mass Senior Action sent a big delegation to Lynn
“So many of our members use The Ride and the buses just to get around — these are necessities,” said Peabody resident Barbara Mann, president of the North Shore Chapter of the Massachusetts Senior Action Council. She said she was particularly concerned the MBTA was proposing a panel to evaluate whether citizens would qualify for The Ride. “Your own doctor should be making the decision,” she said. “A lot of people couldn’t go to Boston to set up an appointment with (the proposed panel), and now won’t have a ride to get them there,” she noted grimly.
Many Kudos to the T Riders union working round the clock to get folks involved from all walks of life and is good at saying thank you to Mass Senior Action. See below.
