Pike Spikes Discounts by Sal Giarratani Hits New England Masspike Officials Recently Boston City Councilor Sal Transponder
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VOL. 113 - NO. 3 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, JANUARY 16, 2009 $.30 A COPY BLUSTERY WEATHER Pike Spikes Discounts by Sal Giarratani Hits New England MassPike officials recently Boston City Councilor Sal transponder. Give the yanked residential dis- LaMattina is livid about it people a “real” opportunity to counts after doing a reported all, saying many folks never renew for the resident rate. mass mailing to residents received the postcard and MacDaniel said the dis- from the North End, East Bos- never realized they were count program was “rife with ton and South Boston in- out of the program until the people being dishonest”. He forming folks to re-register bills piled up at the higher thinks MassPike has cre- for discounted tolls. rate. ated “a program that is hon- Residents of the three The councilor himself was est and diligent … no one is communities are entitled to charged roughly $680 for the getting a discount when they participate in a discount pro- unexpected full fare tolls. don’t deserve the discount.” gram which allows them to Masspike said there is no Fine, what about those pay 40¢ to travel through mechanism to refund toll that deserved it and got either the Sumner or Ted payments. Perhaps, the Mas- robbed by MassPike officials? Williams tunnels. sachusetts Turnpike Au- An East Boston resident The Pike says it sent out thority needs to get working who disputed the bill and was postcards telling folks, they pronto on finding that turned away, asked if his would have to renew their mechanism, huh? contribution to the MassPike discount program member- LaMattina is right. This is could be turned over to the ships. MassPike had always so clearly “a cash grab”. If East Boston community, its just renewed them auto- you’re going to charge folks only fair that the Eastie folks matically before. “Since eight times what they had get something out of this January 2008 nearly half been paying it behooves of- crooked deal? (4,248) failed to requalify ficials to send out first class Was this the “change” we and were charged the full letters. What about flashing voted for when we elected $3.00 toll,” said Pike spokes- that light at the booth that Governor Deval Patrick in person MacDaniel. He also says “Call Fast Lane” maybe ’06? For Sal LaMattina and said, “residents who did not those who didn’t get the post the rest, it’s change alright! re-qualify … are removed card would have been able to Two hundred and sixty extra from the resident program call the Turnpike and see pennies worth every trip within 24 hours.” what was wrong with the leaving East Boston! Mayor’s Column by Thomas M. Menino, Mayor, City of Boston This past Tuesday I delivered the 40 projects under construction, we’re annual State of the City address to an creating 10,000 permanent jobs, and we audience at historic Faneuil Hall. plan to invest $40 million to jumpstart Reflecting on one of the most difficult other development projects. While years in recent memory, I was grateful Boston’s population grew to over 600,000 to have the unconditional love and sup- for the first time in 30 years, crime fell port of my wife Angela and my entire 8 percent compared to 2007. Finally, we family. At such a critical point for our made commitments to strengthen great City, I was also glad to be joined by public education and improve college Boston has been heavily hit with wintry mixes of snow Governor Patrick, Secretary Galvin, graduation rates for our high school and cold. This view of North Square in Boston’s, North Attorney General Coakley, State Trea- graduates. To this end, I announced that End shows the accumulated snow fall so far this winter. surer Cahill, Senate President Murray, the Cloud Foundation will invest $1 mil- New England anticipates a bitter blast of cold air from Speaker of the House DiMasi, and new lion dollars to bring an innovative arts the Arctic as well as more snowy days, making it the Boston City Council President Michael and science curriculum from Harvard coldest yet of the season. Bundle up and keep warm, Ross and his colleagues in the Council, University to 2,000 of the City’s most remember to call on your neighbors and check in, among other distinguished guests. driven high school students. especially with the elderly this winter season. Historically, Faneuil Hall stands as part Still, I understand the challenges that of this country’s foundation, and it we currently face. The recent tragic symbolizes the foundation upon which accident that took the life of veteran Boston was built — a foundation that Boston firefighter Lt. Kevin M. Kelley News Briefs I’m confident remains strong and pre- reminds us all that we cannot afford to by Sal Giarratani pared for growth despite the current cut back on critical public safety invest- challenges. ments. While the City doubled the bud- I shared a message of community and get for fleet maintenance from $700,000 Reading Comic Strips at 2:00 AM hope because these are the principles in 2006 to $1.3 million in 2008, we will I don’t often read newspaper comic strips and that guide us through difficult times. I make sure to do everything possible to I’ve never read them at 2AM but when you’re also reminded guests that despite a protect our men and women who risk working overnight anything is possible. downturn in the economy, the City their lives in the line of duty. The Garfield comic was good. Garfield says achieved significant milestones in 2008. Where we can afford to make spend- “Hello” and his buddy drinking a cup of coffee At a time when residents needed it ing cuts, we will, and I have asked the says “Good-bye”. Then Garfield observes, “Avoid- most, property taxes decreased for the City’s departments and employees to ing the stuff in between is the key to a good average single family home for the sec- help shoulder this burden by curtailing relationship.” ond year straight. As foreclosure gripped wages and hiring. Due to expected state However, the Wizard one was even better. Two the nation, we prevented nearly 450 and federal aid reductions as well as (Continued on Page 14) foreclosures in Boston through the Fore- closure Intervention Team (FIT). With (Continued on Page 14) THE POST-GAZETTE SATELLITE OFFICE IS NOW OPEN AT 35 BENNINGTON STREET, EAST BOSTON This office will be open on Mondays and Tuesday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, for the convenience of our East Boston and North Shore clients and contributors Call 617-227-8929 for more information Page 2 POST-GAZETTE, JANUARY 16, 2009 City Councilor Michael Ross Elected as Council President City Councilor Michael Ross was unanimously elected as the Boston City Council President. VENUS Ross is a district city councilor representing Last week’s column high- construction of a temple family please let me add the Back Bay, Beacon lighted Aphrodite, the Greek called Venus genetrix (Ve- that the family greatness Hill, Mission Hill and the goddess of love. This week nus the Mother), because he started with Cosimo di th Fenway. Ross is eager to your attention is directed to claimed that, as mother of Medici in the 15 century. work with the Boston City Venus, the Roman counter- Aeneas, she was the ances- He was known as “The Great Council and the Boston part. Prior to her identifica- tor and guardian of the Merchant of Venice” who constituents. The Post- tion with Aphrodite, Venus entire Roman race. spent his immense wealth Gazette congratulates was the goddess of gardens Aphrodite and Venus were liberally for the advance- Councilor Ross. and spring, one of the least worshipped as one and the ment of art and science. important of the Roman dei- same more often than any About fifty years later, ties. She was also wor- other deity in mythology. Lorenzo di Medici became shipped as “Calva” (The bald), Also, more often than not, the greatest patron of litera- DEMOCRATS TO HOLD a cult which was started the location of a statue or ture and art that any prince about 625 B.C. by Ancus painting of this goddess de- had ever been, with a col- CAUCUS IN BOSTON’S WARD THREE Marcius, the third Sabine termined whether she was lection of sculptures, paint- Registered Democrats in Delegate and/or Alternate, king of regal Rome, because called Aphrodite or Venus. ings, drawings, and carved Boston’s Ward Three will be who meet the qualifications, his wife was losing her hair. Here again, as in the case gems, available to all artists holding a caucus at The may apply to be add-on Some historians attributed of Apollo, there is hardly a and students for study and Nazzaro Community Cen- delegates in the following the name Calva to the fact famous artist from the past inspiration. It was through ter, 30 North Bennet Street, categories; youth, minority, that on her wedding day who didn’t take a turn in pre- Lorenzo’s leadership and Boston, MA on Saturday, and disabled. each Roman bride cut off a senting his own version of guidance that Florence, Italy, February 7, 2009 at 10:00 AM Discrimination on the lock of her hair and sacri- this queen of beauties, ac- and Michelangelo became to elect nineteen (19) del- basis of race, sex, age, color, ficed it to Venus. “Paetus” cording to some particular the center and focus of arts egates and two (3) alternates creed, national origin, reli- was another name often story or legend that he for the whole world.