Laconia Prison and the State Budget

[Ropetow]

Originally Posted by M/V_Bear_II

Unless you're commuting from Concord to Nashua 3 times a day, I don't see how anyone would benefit from losing the discount but having the monthly bill capped. This is an idiotic plan.

I'd love to see the state provide some statistics on how many 'frequent users' there are on the turnpike system and what their average monthly bill is. I am one of them. Commute from Rochester to MA. Not 52 weeks a year, as I am a college prof. But about 35 weeks. My daily tolls before any discount are $6. With the 30% discount that is about $84 per month. And that is not counting trips to the mall in Newington, to Portsmouth, to visit my mom & mom-in-law in MA, etc. How many other 'businesses' reward frequent users? Airlines for one. Restaurants for two. One of our favorites in Dover has their own frequent diner program....you accrue 5% of your total bill in points that can be redeemed for meals, take-out party platters, etc. I get more 'free' stuff than does the guy that goes there occasionally. Isn't that fair? Many of the independent restaurants in the seacoast region are part of the FIRA Card program where you can likewise redeem 'points' for meals. Sure, I could try to find a similar job in NH, as could any frequent commuter. But would we earn the same income? Likely not. Thus, there would be less discretionary spending at NH businesses. I buy nothing in MA. Not sure my gas station would like losing my business, not to mention my auto mechanic! Not sure $30 is the right 'cap' amount but it is nice to see Lynch taking a stand on something...anything!

[M/V_Bear_II]

Originally Posted by Ropetow

I'd love to see the state provide some statistics on how many 'frequent users' there are on the turnpike system and what their average monthly bill is. I am one of them. Commute from Rochester to MA. Not 52 weeks a year, as I am a college prof. But about 35 weeks. My daily tolls before any discount are $6. With the 30% discount that is about $84 per month. And that is not counting trips to the mall in Newington, to Portsmouth, to visit my mom & mom-in-law in MA, etc. How many other 'businesses' reward frequent users? Airlines for one. Restaurants for two. One of our favorites in Dover has their own frequent diner program....you accrue 5% of your total bill in points that can be redeemed for meals, take-out party platters, etc. I get more 'free' stuff than does the guy that goes there occasionally. Isn't that fair? Many of the independent restaurants in the seacoast region are part of the FIRA Card program where you can likewise redeem 'points' for meals. Sure, I could try to find a similar job in NH, as could any frequent commuter. But would we earn the same income? Likely not. Thus, there would be less discretionary spending at NH businesses. I buy nothing in MA. Not sure my gas station would like losing my business, not to mention my auto mechanic! Not sure $30 is the right 'cap' amount but it is nice to see Lynch taking a stand on something...anything!

I stand corrected. I either am totally unaware of toll costs in the eastern part of the state, or that includes some MA tolls. Either way, that's a big bill, and you would certainly be helped.

For the record, since it appears you may have misunderstood, my original point was not that frequent users like you don't deserve the cap - it was that with the increase, the cap wouldn't actually help.

And another aside - I'm not sure that NH would be able to get away with capping bills accrued in other states, unless they're willing to pay the other states back. So that part of the proposition seems weird to me.

[Ropetow]

Originally Posted by M/V_Bear_II

I stand corrected. I either am totally unaware of toll costs in the eastern part of the state, or that includes some MA tolls. Either way, that's a big bill, and you would certainly be helped.

For the record, since it appears you may have misunderstood, my original point was not that frequent users like you don't deserve the cap - it was that with the increase, the cap wouldn't actually help.

And another aside - I'm not sure that NH would be able to get away with capping bills accrued in other states, unless they're willing to pay the other states back. So that part of the proposition seems weird to me.

What I described was NH only tolls. There are no MA tolls on my route. And yes, NH would have no right to cap tolls paid in another state. But, then again, Governor Patrick wants our merchants to collect his sales taxes, doesn't he? The Hampton tolls on I95 are $1.50 each way. If a commuter just passed through those tolls to-and-from work, that would be $3 per day, or $15 per week, or $60 per month. Subtract $18 for the current 30% discount and that person is still paying $42 per month for going through just one toll plaza!

[kjbathe]

Originally Posted by M/V_Bear_II

I either am totally unaware of toll costs in the eastern part of the state

It's the toll density

Hampton, Dover and Rochester is an expensive stretch of road.

[fatnoah]

Massachusetts offers both discounts and a tax deduction for using the FastLane transponders at some Boston area tolls. They also just got rid of the fee to "purchase" a transponder and now charge 50 cents/month. That's fine by me since I save 50 cents a day with the reduced toll on the Tobin Bridge. Fast Lane tolls are also deductible for state income taxes.

With regards to the prison in Laconia, it seems like a state park with a beach or something that takes advantage of the location straddling Winnesquam and Opechee would be a great idea. It would also help keep out miscreants that might be tempted to sneak into the Shore Drive or Wildwood Association beaches.

[Sunrise Point]

I think that the idea of a working farm/educational center is worth looking into. It would be great to keep it as open land and especially keep it accessable to all. It's a beautiful spot.

I spent a winter weekend in Livermore Falls, Maine several years ago at Norlands Living History Farm. I went with my daughter's girl scout troop and we paid $$$ to spend the weekend caring for livestock, boiling maple sugar, baking, hauling wood and washing without benefit of plumbing, electricity or central heat. We were busy every minute. Those 12 year old girls LOVED it.

[no-engine]

Originally Posted by fatnoah

Massachusetts offers both discounts and a tax deduction for using the FastLane transponders at some Boston area tolls. They also just got rid of the fee to "purchase" a transponder and now charge 50 cents/month. That's fine by me since I save 50 cents a day with the reduced toll on the Tobin Bridge. Fast Lane tolls are also deductible for state income taxes.

How is that personal tax deduction justified?
YES if one claims vehicle expenses as a business expense, fine.

Are fast lane tolls considered a tax that is deductible, like real estate taxes?

Does the MA toll locations recognize the address of the transponder?
I used to get a 10% discount for "electronic toll collection" in DE, but it was recently eliminated regardless of address. I still have a NY account with no fees, since the days before NH started; I kept it in case NH adds fees or eliminates discount to NH accounts, where I live. Coincidentally, I had not used it in a few years, and yesterday tested it at Hookset - still works; I had not read this thread. I never had the MA account. My brother lives in MA and got his account in MD with no transponder fees.

The Lynch story about implementing EZ pass in NH is a "story".

[fatnoah]

The tax deduction is part of a broader commuter tax deduction and includes certain tolls paid through a FastLane account as well as monthly transit passes. As fars as I know, it was first passed by the legislature in 2004 as a temporary measure, but was later made permanent.

Reduced tolls are most likely based on the transponder issuing agency than any address information associated.

As for the prison property, I drove by this weekend and noticed that sign for the cooperative farm is gone. It's probably been gone for years and I just noticed. How long has the farm been gone? Did that happen when the facility was converted to a prison?