Massachusetts taxpayers need bridges, not a billion dollar convention center with a 100,000-square-foot exhibit hall, a 60,500-square-foot ballroom, and 44,000 square footage of meeting space, down in South Boston! Western Massachusetts needs safe bridges, so our fire trucks and ambulances can promptly reach emergencies, rather than traveling twice the distance, roundabouts.
According to the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, there are 43 structurally deficient bridges, 30 weight-listed bridges, 16 open but in poor condition, and five closed bridges, in just Franklin County. Western Massachusetts requires emergency bridge funding, not a fancy ballroom, because school buses cross those bridges. Also, heavy milk trucks must cross those bridges every day, to and from dairy farms and farmers need bulk grain truck deliveries, too. All winter, snow plows and sand trucks carry heavy loads, over all those structurally deficient bridges. Gov. Baker dropped this debt-loaded convention project before, so why did he change his mind, and where is the money coming from now?
According to the Greenfield Recorder, the State House News says legislative bills concerning that huge expensive ballroom/convention center are up for discussion in Boston. The article quotes Senator Collins: “Anytime we consider a sale and transfer of state assets of this magnitude, there must be careful consideration of the public good. I look forward to a robust public debate on this proposal.” Out here, in Western Massachusetts, we say, privatize it!
“Public debate!” Contact Rep. Blais, Sen. Comerford, Sen. Gobi, Sen. Hinds, Rep. Paul Mark, Sen. Markey, and Rep. McGovern. Tell your representatives not to waste a billion dollars in tax payer money. Privatize that ballroom/convention center. Marriott, Sheraton, or Hilton, not taxpayer funding.
That billion dollars will only fix some of our unsafe bridges, so tell your representatives that we need emergency funding for bridges, out here in Western Massachusetts.
Muriel E. Russell
Colrain