Time for Western Massachusetts to get it’s fair share

~Adam, adamskewlsite.com editorial~

I am 13 years old and I believe it is time for our part of Massachusetts to get its fair share from the government of our state. For some time now, we here in Western Massachusetts have been forced to pay extra taxes and tolls for years. Former governor William Weld gave us a break during his term to abolish Massachusetts Turnpike tolls in Western Massachusetts, but the Swift administration is now faced with billions of dollars in Big Dig overruns and is now forcing us, the taxpayers of Western Massachusetts, to pay for things that we will rarely use.

The Swift administration is now trying to reinstate tolls from Exits one through six on the Massachusetts Turnpike because they need money for Eastern Massachusetts projects. Turnpike Authority member Jordan Levy recently said “I think it’s equitable and I think it’s fair.. I think everybody should be paying their fair share.. including the people of Springfield.” I have a strong opinion on that comment. Why should we in Western Massachusetts have to pay for projects in the Eastern Massachusetts region when they aren’t paying for ours? We have already paid more than our fair share towards the Big Dig and other major projects in Eastern Massachusetts.

As a result of the state’s lack of funding and consideration for Massachusetts, two schools in my city are over one hundred years old. Students of Western Massachusetts, including myself, have had to attend schooling in buildings that are not modernized while new, modern schools are being built throughout Eastern Massachusetts for their students. Without Western Massachusetts school system professionals, our school systems would be in disarray.

When was the last time you saw a new library, museum, or major road construction grant from the state in Western Massachusetts? As a result of the state’s lack of funding, cities and towns across Western Massachusetts have been forced to put themselves into debt to complete necessary projects that can not be overlooked. It is time for our legislators to start vetoing funds for projects in Eastern Massachusetts and to start proposing funds for projects that desperately need to be done in Western Massachusetts.

While running for the offices of Governor and Lt. Governor in 1998, Ex-Governor A. Paul Cellucci and current governor Jane Swift promised not to forget Western Massachusetts. By all indications that I have seen during the Cellucci/Swift administration, they have forgotten Western Massachusetts. I hope that we elect new officials to help Western Massachusetts cities and towns in 2002.

It’s time for Western Massachusetts to get our fair share of state benefits. Massachusetts Turnpike tolls in Western Massachusetts should not be reinstated. For several years, Western Massachusetts residents have paid endlessly for projects in the metropolitan Boston area. It’s time for that to end.