Tolls rising. So are salaries for 13 Pike managers

This is troubling....but I am not surprised. Gee, my $1872 in tolls next year gets to pay for this???? I cannot wait until the MTA gets disbanded....

Meh... It won't matter once the MTA is absorbed by Mass Highway and all 13 of them lose their jobs...

Of course there were raises at the Turnpike Authority. Is anyone really surprised by this?

what a scam. They're just thumbing their noses at the public.

Here's the real crime. Forget bribery, these fat salaries are a crime. Why are we paying people such astronomical salaries when the state is broke? I also don't understand why we would be raising salaries of an authority that is slated to be eliminated.

Connaughton has it right. Companies that lay people off do not give raises to other people just because they need to do more work. The people do more work to protect their jobs. This really ticks me off

Once again the government and their many agencies, see it fit for the "fat cats" to stay fat, and leave the others to find their own way to make it through day by day...I personally have no say for the tolls, but every once in a while I use them, and personally do not see anything that has been done, with any of the money that they receive, not unlike my favorite means of transportation, the MBTA...This here is the most ridiculous, claiming bankrupcy, buildings falling apart, T workers stoned and drunk, make the commute to and from work very day interesting, at the most...think about the biggest Hollywood Blockbuster, the most suspense filled New York Times Bestseller, it has nothing compared to our adventure MBTA....THE RIDE!!!!!
It is things like those that I mentioned, what makes Boston an experience to visit, to live and to work in everyday...Just to get back to the toll people, dont cry to me when you are carpooling everyday to work to your booths, to your cushy jobs, for how can you complain when you are getting paid to sit on your butt...and not do a darn thing, except waste my tax money...Thanks and have a cup of coffee on me

Nobosy cares anymore. The citizens in this state are sheep. Allowing the same politicians to stay in power election after election. They had the option to repeal the state income tax so WORKING citizens could get some of their money back, but instead voted no. You get what you deserve citizens of MA. Keep electing into office Barney Frank, Wilkerson. Turner, DiMasi, John Kerry, Kennedy, Menino, Patrick, etc. Nothing will ever change in this state. It will only get worse.

What a crock. In private indusrty, the manager gets new duties with NO pay raise. If he doesn't like it, he gets to seek employement elsewhere.

Let's not miss that this is a 14% raise. In this economy, in private industry, most salaries are flat and people are happy to have a job. If a raise happens it's 3-6% - and has been at that level for years. No one gets 14% raises no matter what jobs they take on.

This state is beyojnd belief.

Frustrating...yes.

Surprising...NO.

...and this is precisely why the Turnpike Authority needs to be disassembled, right now.

"As an example, LeBovidge cited the agency’s chief financial officer, who was promoted from comptroller and now serves as chief financial officer, comptroller, and director of financial management. He was given a $20,000 raise in March, for a new salary of $145,000. The move resulted in a net savings of $200,000 for the turnpike, LeBovidge said".

A $20,000 increase? This may be appropriate for the priviate sector - but this is a state agency that has been weighed down by financial problems for years. There are many talented, skilled, and eminently competent people that would take on these responsibilities for less.

I'd like a $20,000 promotion whenever I take on a new set of work responsibilities. Is there an opening for one more manager?

Deserved or not, a salary increase of this size doesn't sit right. This demonstrates a lack of common sense and disregard for the public. If you're going to cry poverty and raise tolls, I'd suggest reining in ALL agency expenses, not increasing expenses.

I just don't know how much more of this residents can stand. There is so much waster and corruption in this state it is beyond belief. I am resigned to a lower standard of living as state emplyees have free healthcare and gaurenteed pensions. In some cases multiple pensions.

Lets see. Economy is in the dumper, state senator arrested, senator from Alaska arrested, my 401(k) is gone, taxes going up everywhere to pay for state employees. I don't even use the Big Dig and I have to pay for that. Oh, at least homosexuals can get married legally and adopt kids and teach our kids that being gay is totally cool in grade school. Oh yeah how about paying for immigrant who come to our country illegally. Lets pay them too. Oh and let's pay baseball players like Manny Ramierez $25M so he can sit on his ass when he doesn't feel like playing. Our society and country is totally xxxxed up!

And you wonder why many of us are sick and tired of these self serving "Public servants"? We asked for it by defeating Question one. I voted YES we should have sent a message!!!

what budget crisis.....get things together over there.

Sweet. You guys are doing a good job. I do not care what everyone says.

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE? I GUESS THIS IS THE REAL REASON BEHIND WHY THEY WANNA RAISE THE TOLLS, GOTTA PAY EVERYBODY OFF FIRST. THIS WHOLE STATE IS SOOOOO CORRUPT! HOW DARE THEY EVEN ATTEMPT TO TAKE MORE $$$ OUTTA OUR POCKETS TO PUT IT BACK IN THEIR OWN. UGFH I'M TOTALLY DISGUSTED WITH ALL THESE PEOPLE IN OFFICE. THE NERVE OF DIMASSI & COUPE DEVAL.

The headline for this article is very deceptive. What kind of reporting is this?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? This is absolutely ridiculous, these moonbats should follow suit just like everyone else in the current economic crisis. Work a bit hard just like the common folk and maybe receive a bit of a raise once things turn around, don't hike to tolls and take a raise. This is Massachusetts at its finest hours; take take take take take take take. Will someone please slap Duval?

So higher tolls needed to cover salary increases? I don't think I agree with that. Cut costs! I agree with a salary freeze.

When are people going to wake up in this state and stop voting for taxes! They are robbing us blind and we let them.

How pathetic and tabloid-like is boston.com getting - the title of the article suggests undo raises at such a difficult time - but they are NOT raises, they are new salaries for new jobs, which resulted in eliminating other jobs and net SAVINGS. Reading the article makes me applaud the MTA, but hte headline, which is all a lot of people will read, completely distorts perception. Very pathetic and Herald-like Globe.

OUTRAGEOUS - another example of our currupt government in action. Its bad enough to do this in these difficult fiscal times, but to then propose huge toll hikes! The arrogance is shamless! Get rid of them all!

Those are some ignorant responses. If your company had layoffs and you were asked to take over added responsibilities of teh employees that were laid off, would you expect to get a raise? Or out of the goodness of your heart would you double your workload for free?

why worry, MASS Taxpayers are rich

They could save more $$ if they came into line with all the other states and call their toll collection system EZ Pass and not have to have all sorts of duplicate signs explaining that "ez pass acccepted in fast lanes". This one little item must be very expensive.

what a hatchet job of a headline. article says pike is cutting salaries, and details why, yet the headline says they are giving out raises. typical.

How does reducing two or three jobs into one and save over $200K not make sense? I like the initiative. The problem will come when in a few months or a year, they hire back the comptroller and finance director and keep this guy at his current salary.

At first blush this is outrageous. However, after reading further it appears as though The Globe purposely slanted the title of this story. While these folks did get raises, if it is true that they took on the duties of other jobs so those jobs could be eliminated, then a small increase in their pay is warranted. Especially if they can save 200k. Well actually it looks like a total of 1.8 million in savings. That 200k was just from eliminating that one job.

However, I agree with Tardo that it may all be a wash when and if the Turnpike Authority is eliminated in total.

The arrogance of the Massachusetts politicians is beyond belief. These people are total THIEVES. The FBI should be investigating and arresting these thieves while they are being investigated. These people have no honor, no dignity, and no self-respect. Tom Finneran claims that Alan LeBovidge is a good public employee -- Tommy how do you explain this thief????

Little wonder why the agencies all over are going broke!! You can only get so much money out of the public to pay for these overpayments!! Do they understand how many people are out-of-work and looking for a job! It is a employer's market, they don't have to spend like crazy to keep anybody!!!

Instead of offering more money for more work they could have should have offered more work same pay or no job. I understand that the CFO is a skilled position. Either they would have stayed or they would have left IF they could have made more money for less work somewhere else.

Gee Guys!!! Do you really think that they'll lose thier job and be unemployed?
They may leave the turnpike, but you can bet your grandmas shoes that they'll turn up somewhere else and it won't be a in an unemployment line.

and you MA were too stupid to vote yes on question 1. good work!

You got to be kidding me. Is there anyone in MA government/Public service that gets it?

This is what you all get for not voting yes on one

there is a special place in hell for these people

The arrogance of the Massachusetts politicians is beyond belief. These people are total THIEVES. The FBI should be investigating and arresting these thieves while they are being investigated. These people have no honor, no dignity, and no self-respect. Tom Finneran claims that Alan LeBovidge is a good public employee -- Tommy how do you explain this thief????

Note how this news and the toll increases and the increases in parking fees at T lots became public AFTER question 1 was defeated. The morons who vote in this state still don't get it....

These people just don't get it,

Or maybe WE are the idiots.

We let this happen.

Outrageous

No wonder the 'average joe' tries everything imaginable to beat the system.
The system, apparently, only exists to ROB joe, and all the other ordinary people.
These people need to lose their jobs.
I don't remember that they had to prove 'competency' before getting their jobs.
Apparently, the only 'competency' they need is "How to SCREW the public.

Who said anything about losing their jobs? The state doesn't do layoffs.

TICK TOC TIC TOC Deval"s putting the MTA on the chopping Block. Enjoy the money now because it just matter of time before your tax dollar burning organization is history.

GEE--I WONDER WHY TOLLS ARE GOING UP!!

The MTA hasn't been disbanded yet, and I doubt it will. Patrick is only sabre rattling to curry faovr with th epublic until he can slip into either a position in the Obama administratio or to sit in a vacated MA senate seat..

Gee, My company was forced to lay off people, so that meant the rest of us had to take on added responsibilities & duties. Guess what? No one got any raise or added salary for doing so. I guess we could have refused the extra work & taken a hike... right out the front door, & then no unemployment for leaving "Voluntarily". Not so if you are a THIEVING HACK. The Turnpike Authority has got to go, & Zero golden parachutes when they get kicked out. Let them get in line at the unemployment center, & wait at least 5 weeks for the Hacks at that department to get around to reviewing their case. Please hurry up & do it so they can be out of a job before the Holidays like many of those in the real world. These SCUMBAGS are just setting themselves up for higher pensions & other benefits when their jobs are eliminated, not unlike the phantom promotions handed out by the Boston Fire Department prior to their approval for Permanent Disability.

So when the MTA is disbanded (assuming that it eventually is) what sort of parachutes will these senior executives get? Trust me, the way it works is, they get a nice kiss on the way out one door, and a bigger salary with the next state job. Just watch.

OUTRAGEOUS! - another example of State corruption. They expect the tax payers to just keep paying more. (tolls are just another tax) - PURE ARROGANCE!

This is typical of government agencies that have no oversight. An 16% raise. My private sector raises the past 3 years have been 2%, 2.5% and a whopping 4% this year. Raise are given based on how well the company is doing. That does not seem to apply to government. In addition I pay more tham 50% of the cost of healthcare premiums and I am not guaranteed a pension that can max out to anywhere near 80% of my highest 3 years salary. I'd like to know where this mythical savings went.

Are there sny more jobs like this?

Padding their pensions, so they'll earn more when they get laid off. Then they'll double-dip by taking a different state job..with a state-funded car/gas allowance and free tolls.

I am beyond pissed! Ya let's raise the tolls double and raise the gas tax while paying these slugs over $160,000 a year? (&*^)(*&_*&_)(*&)(& that's all I have to say!

Wow! They make as much as a union autoworker now. That should goose the pension nicely. Just as the domestic auto industry is unsustainable, so are state and federal governments. The tax payer is finally waking up. The backlash is coming......

Totally misleading hed. How about: " 'T' exec realignment reduces payroll by $1.2M." That tells more of the story.

If a guy can do the work of 10 people and get paid all 10 salaries, it works for me. That reduces headcount, benefits pay-ins, HVAC and electrical comsumption, desk space, etc.

The story started out with a viewpoint and is more akin to an editorial than actual unbiased news.

Message received: huge middle finger to the hard working taxpayers of the Commonwealth. It is like they are actively trying to outrage us daily.

The Globe headline is unfair (not surprising). It should read: "Tolls are rising. So are salaries AND RESPONSIBILITIES for Pike managers." People should get paid more when they take on more work. I'm sure Noah Bierman would expect the same.

but when the MTA gets absorbed by Mass Highway and these people lose their jobs, there will be severence packages as well as pensions to pay.

Are we really surprised...'promotions' is what they are calling the salary increases...maybe the MTA should go to Congress for a bailout too...hypocrites...they best not increase the toll rates now.

Well Ricardo, if past shenanigan is any indication, before the turnpike is disbanded, they'll come up with some sort of policy to give years in salary for severance and boasted vested pension for all managers. Then they all will be rehired to work probably with WTA or some other state agencies and get double salary for years.

they get raises, and i get fired

This article could just as easily read "Turnpike Authority saves millions by combining jobs." Normally I agree that salary hikes in light of fiscals troubles are troublesome, but the spin here is just ridiculous.

this is crazy! the toll increases when there is a 6.5% unemployment rate in MA... and the managers at MTA gets a pay raise? we need to boycott mass pike!! this is absolutely insane!!!

This is ridiculous. Now I know where the high tolls are going, to pay for 14% raise!

As a retired military person with 23 years of honorable military service, I recently moved out of Massachusetts to another state after 8 years because I can not afford to live on my military retirement and a 40 hour a week job there. Taxes, tolls and expenses were just killed me!

Vote Democrat People, lets keep this machine rolloing!! Altogether now: Bahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh bahhhhhhhhhh (thats me mocking the librals with sheep noises)

Andrea,

It won't happen until voters become INFORMED voters and sadly that takes too much effort for the simple minded. Maybe we should pass a law that just the simple minded should pay these rediculose tax hikes. They wouldnt notice.

This State needs to have an across the board pay cut of 5%. Including retirement packages.

Hey, Deval: Romney never took a dime of pay for his services. Wink Wink
4 and OUT

Good thing the fine citizens of MA voted against getting rid of the income tax or else the Commonwealth wouldn't have so much extra money to throw around in future.

The people charged with managing our Turnpike tax dollars are taking advantage of us, and playing word games with the new titles they are giving their supervisors. If the manager who was getting a $125,000 had room in his schedule to take on an additional $20,000 worth of responsibilities, and two more titles, he must have been keeping a pretty "light" schedule to begin with. Do any of these "overseers" ever check, and say "You may have been getting overpaid for that one title you had". Were we getting a week's pay for a week's work BEFORE this change, or are we going to be getting it AFTER?
Does he get paid in quarters????

What's really scary about this story, and what no one is talking about, is that it sounds like there were 3 jobs rolled into one. The fact that the CFO, controller, and director of financial management could all be consolidated concerns me. These should be demanding positions by themselves. To be able to roll them into one makes me think there is even more layers below that are unnecessary.

They are giving themselves raises so when they retire when the pike is shutdown they will have bigger pensions. Duh.

Move to Florida! Where there is no:

State Income Tax
Excise Tax
Stupid exhaust inspections fees
...let see what else:
The property tax rate is the same
Educated, talented people are actually paid MORE (I know I am!)
It's called the Sunshine State for a reason!
No Snow
You can wear shorts almost everyday!
...and
I haven't found any 16B tunnels
Most roads are free to drive on (even the Florida Turnpike runs nearly parrallel to the free Interstate 95, so you can choose)

graft, corruption, thievery, bribery, extortion, inflating salaries before an agency is disbanded resulting in higher pension benefits, as the gov says in those fancy ads, "Massachusetts, it's all here."

I'm amazed at how many people think all public servants should work for peanuts. Just because you work for the state doesn't mean you shouldn't expect to be fairly compensated. If an employer doesn't compensate qualifed employees well, they will leave and go elsewhere, regardless of the economic arena and regardless of whether they are public or private employees. Qualifed employees with solid a solid work ethic and the willingness to take on additional work with little to no additional compensation are hard to come by.

Why is everyone in Massachusetts complaining about higher tolls and corrupt politicians??? You all voted the exact same people right into office. You deserve what you get.
And you thought Deval Patrick and the rest of them were going to help us out?? Haha - the laugh is on you

It would appear that most of these increases took place before the current crisis came into focus, so that should be considered before venting, but is it not possible to roll them back now that it's a fact of life? As far as the tolls increase is concerned, that is something that should have been handled far differently, since it did take place during the ever-present crisis. If the issue of "saving money" by consolidating job responsibilities is true and not mere spin, then why wasn't that supposed $1.8 million used to offset the shortages that were deemed the rationale for the toll increases? The lingering problem here is poor oversight and a seeming disregard for both perception and the public. Management of this system is in sore need of a virtual overhal.

The pborm

I have to say that this doesn't come as a shock. The rich get richer, while the rest of us suffer. I agree with Mary Connaughton there should be a salary freeze for turnpike Managers, not just as a condition for the tolls, but for the economy. While you are all getting fat off our money, we are working more for less, so why should you get more! I would have done the same work just to have a job!!!!!!!!!! There are people who give anything to have two or three jobs at the cost of 1. Something would be better than nothing! Get a grip and fix the economy for the state first, then blow up your salaries. Don’t do it while we are all hurting and not getting raises we deserve. It’s the middle class people that do all the work and managers that do ½ the work but get twice the pay! You are working for our dime and if you want us to pay more, then give us a really good reason. Not you need a raise! At $125,000 LeBovidge should be able to do what he is asked. If he got a promotion then give him a 4-5% of his salary increase like the rest of us. Instead of raising taxes and tolls, why don’t you all hold off on raises like the rest of us. The way we are going to get out of this rut we are in is for the well paying government people, who have great benefits already compared to the rest of us, and stop taking till you fix the messes you have already made! With the messes you have all made in MA, NONE of you deserve a raise as far as I am concerned. Since we vote for some you, why don’t we vote on your raises as well!

So Merry Christmas to you all because you will have a great Christmas. I’ll be lucky if I can afford a tree, food on my table or even anything to put under a tree. Why don’t we continue to increase taxes and tolls so that I can’t afford my house or my car anymore! Because that is what is going to happen.

The is NO MERIT here. This is more fraud. Where the HELL is the DOJ or The US Attorney's office???!!! This has been a ripoff for DECADES, and no one that is put in place to monitor this stuff gives a shat about it....This state makes me sick. And everyone that sits by and continues to accept this stuff make me sick as well.....

Not surprising when some of the senior tollbooth attendants are making up to $80,ooo a year....definitely positions marked by cronyism...Are the toll roads better or still full of potholes? And a cold hard winter is coming. It may come down to the last person leaving MA and its overbloated budget behind needs to turn off the lights...

It is reported that it costs the Pike 79 cents to collect one dollar. Any private organization that was run this inefficiently would be out of business. State employees should be treated no different than the private sector. I guess they were just emboldened by Question 1!

I'd love to see the total salaries paid last year vs this year. My guess is they don't show a savings of $200,000 but an increase over last year.

in the private sector when your company is losing money 2 things generally happen, job cuts and pay cuts.

Does anyone in the public sector EVER take a pay freeze? I haven't had a raise in years. Incredible gall of them all. they must be laughing at the public for not getting rid of the tax....another free lunch for them and their unions.

And people thought the Auto Execs were arrogant taking private jets to DC to try to get more money. This government agency makes them look like penny pinchers. Let's hope the Govenor follows up on his disbanding rhetoric.

What am I going to do about this? EVERYONE SHOULD BE DRIVING AROUND THE TOLLS. If you can avoid them, DONT GIVE A DAMN CENT TO THEAUTHORITY. Crooks! --TOGETHER WE CON! Remember?

Just one more reason the voters should have voted YES on Question #1

they are raising tolls and these managers here are getting a salary raise when the economy is so bad..and our toll money is going to them. This sounds so wrong just.

Yes, Marcusa, some state employees are subject to a pay freeze. I had no raise for over five years in MA public higher ed administration before and during Romney's duration as governor. I got sick of being fiscally unappreciated and left, while my salary more than doubled for a similar position at a similar, but private, institution. MANY public employees, including my former coworkers, are GROSSLY undercompensated. Those who unfairly benefit get the limelight in articles such as this while those earning pitiful wages earn the scorn of the public.

Gov. Patrick will not stand up to this organization. Good luck. As another poster stated accurately - you cannot keep voting for the same incumbents and expect the state to change for the better. None of the excellent representatives of the people of Massachusetts have stepped up to combat the toll hike. Something has to change. The organization isn't going away, it will only get larger. You need to make people like LeBovidge feel uncomfortable when he is out and about in Massachusetts. He is legally robbing the citizens of Massachusetts. This state is among the most corrupt in the country. Why? Because you keep voting in the same corrupt politicians. They will remain corrupt until they can prove us wrong.