Patrick outlines goals of any gas tax hike

This Chat with the Governor was a complete joke. 40 minutes? He should have been fielding questions for at least two hours.

Regarding the fight against obesity - I think a major break for everyone would be to encourage restaurants and food vendors to provide sensible portion sized meals. I'm obese, trying to lose weight, but it is a struggle when eating out to get a meal enough for 2 or 3 people.

So explain this to me. The State politicians get 5.5% raises, which is a hell of a cost of living increase, and we get to pay higher gas taxes? There is nowhere in the state budget, where the non-essential state workers can be cut?

What a joke! I wish I had a part-time job that gives as many sick days and vacation days as a Massachusetts Politician.

When Governor Pa trick is done cleaning up waist and abuse in Massachusetts send him back to Illinois we could sure use him here.

Raise the gas tax, to pay for the "Big Dig" that we in W. Mass do not use???
Then I read that the current gas tax is going elsewhere other than the repair of the roads??? What is that all about??? Where are our local reps out here, what are they doing about this?? Once again, nothing.

We in W. Mass once again are going to pay the way for the Boston folks as we always do. Enough is enough. No wonder everyone is leaving W. Mass.

We told you about Deval but you wouldn't listen...... "Together we can", "Change is coming"..... Kiss my change in my back pocket......

There should be a $1/gallon gas tax added on to the current price. This would be for just state government. The Feds should increase it another $0.50 or so too and then we'll be back where we should be in terms of pricing ($3/gallon). This will keep oil prices low since gas is already very high - it oil went higher, we would just go into a huge recession to lower prices. It's actually genius because the governments win while Big Oil loses. For the people against the tax hike, it pretty much just shows that they don't love America and the American dream.

Why should people in the western part of the state have to pay a higher gas tax to support the Big Dig, which are roads we never use??? And why do all the commuters from the western suburbs continue to front the load for the rich people from the south shore, who pay no tolls??? Oh, that's right it's Massachusetts, where the electorate is brain-dead and hasn't figured out you get the corrupt government you keep re-electing.

So much to say.
First, I love it when MA tax payers have to pay the cost of mismanagement of the big dig. Any senator or rep who approved the budget should be taxed and if removed from office for being so irresponsble.

Second, I say leave the tolls and jack them up high for anyone with an out of state plate.

Third, Wendy, please.. The restaurants are to blame because you have no self control?

hey there should not be a gas tax hike at all. we pay enough taxes as it. the gas is good the way it is and if it goes any higher, none of us will be able to get work So the Jackie Ryan i am against what you are saying ok

Sorry Folks But how can anyone expect fairness and common sense in a state rife with corrupt leaders as is Mass
Poor Deval he ran on a platform of serendipity and now the rubber has hit the road and confusion abounds. Thats what we get and deserve by electing this rookie with not much between the ears

BTW was it a Pink Caddy

you people voted for him...hahahahahahahahahahahahah

We could make a gas tax graduated by location that would avoid making people in Western MA pay for the Big Dig. The tax would depend on your zip code or town, and it would decrease gradually as you head west.

So why doesn't anyone in the state government think of this?

Just as predicted...A new gas tax and a toll hike! You could see it coming months ago, the old "good cop, bad cop" routine that Deval and DiMasi were playing. Deval pretended to resist a gas tax (good cop) but said he would support in liu of higher tolls. Sal said "gas tax", bad cop. Now you get both! Just as they planned.

"we avoided tolls for so long"? Who avoid them? Certainly not the people of West of Boston who have been paying them for years and years. Unbelievable that a certain part of the state can be picked out and have it rammed up their a$$es every year to evidently line the pockets of the political hacks and their friends and family members who they give jobs to. This one party state is such a joke.

Wendy, I agree with you on portions. I'm thin, but still want a smaller plate of food.
But it's really a no-brainer. You're obese and want to lose weight?
How about you just don't finish the entire 2-3 person plate of food.
Or eat at home so can regulate what you eat.

Come on, people!

"Yes we can...Yes we can," raise your taxes and use them for whatever "I" want to use them on. Please Governor, will you just accept whatever President Obama is offering you in the line of work? Good God, will one of the Supreme Court Justices retire....we need relief up here.

Well, why should it cost me $7 to leave Lynn and visit my inlaws when people in W. Mass get to gallivant about for free?

Here"s an idea,how about cutting down some of these over priced officials,start from the top for a change.Instead of always takeing from the person who works 2 jobs just to make ends meet,this state is a joke.
GOOD OLD TAXACHUSETTS

They need to put a big, fat $5 toll on the Zakim. The Big Dig was done specifically to help those commuters. They are the ones who should be paying. All tolls west of Allston/Brighton should be gone because that part of the pike is long since paid for. Those who USE the artery should pay for the artery.

Tax increases are unpatriotic. Just ask the heroes who organized the Boston Tea Party.

Doesn't Mitt Romney look a little better now? Don't you look back at the debates and see Deval and Christy harping about the Romney - Healey administration and all their faults? Romney and Healey worked for free. They did what they could to stop the theft from the pols. He chased Matt Amorello and his $200K out of the turnpike. The first thing Deval did was lease the Caddy and buy expensive curtains. He demonstrated what he was about right off the bat. He's not going to cut the things that need cutting, although he deserves credit for at least knocking the cop details down a little. We have cops making $150K standing around looking in a hole, and politicians quadrupling their pensions for no reason, and lots of other goodies being handed out, and we're discussing a gas tax? No Deval, cut the free stuff that your friends are getting, sell the curtains on Ebay and ride in a state trooper's car like Mitt did, then we'll discuss raising taxes. Don't you understand that this is why your state is losing population? We don't need more revenue, we need less waste.

Time to move to NH, had enough I give up. LIVE FREE AND THEN DIE

This country was founded on SMALL, LIMITED government, SELF DETERMINATION, and liberty. In as much as liberalism promotes BIG government, liberalism is on its face anti American. John Adams is no doubt turning in his grave, anxious to come out and start a new REVOLUTION against the oppresive, over taxing, bloated government of King Duval and his corrupt party of Big government, high tax, incompertent, oppressive , corupt liberal IDIOTS!!!!!!!! This state is pathetic!!!!! JOIN THE RESISTANCE NOW!!!!!

This is definitely what is needed. It is the fairest solution to the state's massive transportation finance problem, far more fair than a few tollbooths. BUT the state must do substantive, necessary work ALL across the state from roads to bridges to trains and bikepaths.

"Why should people in the western part of the state have to pay a higher gas tax to support the Big Dig, which are roads we never use??" Ok, so why should people in the eastern part of the state have to pay a gas tax to support the Rt.2 widening (I-91 repairs, French King Bridge work...) which we never use? The governor got $40M in bonding authority to bring broadband to the western part of the state... why should people in the eastern part of the state have to pay for that when we've got Verizon and Comcast and RCN?

Folks, it's called a commonwealth for a reason. Everyone pays in, everyone benefits.

The problem with both tolls and gas taxes is that they are regressive--the people least able to pay them get hit the hardest. We all should pay for roads--even the ill-conceived fiascos like the Big Dig. But we should do that through income taxes or, better yet in my view, budget cuts.

BTW, last month the Globe ran a story about how citizens of the states favor a gas tax. I guess the Globe never got around to surveying people on the gas tax issue when we all were paying more the $4/gallon.

With the state of the economy, the high cost of living in Massachusetts, goverment waste, and now the Pols on the Hill want to bury us deeper with a higher gas tax. Unreal.

Yet a pay raise for themselves that far outstrips the raise anyone is my family will see this year. You keep sending the same people to the State House and keep getting the same result. Maybe it is time to change the landscape up there.

I tried to chat with Deville about illegal immigration and Obama's aunt. Maybe he had to go so that he didn't have to answer it.

I'd like to know if there is a citizens group in Mass that acts as a watchdog for State spending. Is there any transparency to be found ? I'd love to know and I'd love to help. I would consider myself a liberal Democrat, but enough is enough.