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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Nadine Carroll who wrote (50993)	6/20/2004 3:41:52 AM
From: LindyBill	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793966

Looks like Kerry has got you set up for a "fine mess," Nadine. Convention Fiasco By N.E. Republican The Democratic Convention in Boston is shaping up to be quite a mess. Here is Howie Carr earlier this month: When Boston was first picked for the DNC, Kerry's fellow Bay State Democrats touted the convention as a $150 million bonanza for the region. Now, the best guesstimates are that when the delegates finally pull out on July 30, Massachusetts will be at least $50 million in the red. Here we are a couple of weeks later and it looks like that "$50 million in the red" has ballooned to $75 million unless the federal government helps out. (via Boston Globe) The city of Boston now estimates that transportation shutdowns ordered by the Secret Service will double the costs of security for the Democratic National Convention, and bring the event's budget to $95 million -- nearly twice the estimate when Boston landed the convention in 2002. *** The addition of another $25 million in expenditures would bring the event's total cost to $95 million -- almost twice the $49.5 million budget that was forecast when Boston was awarded the convention in 2002, and nearly $1 million per hour for the four days the convention will last. Planners for the convention have also announced that delegates will be able to pay for taxi rides with vouchers. These vouchers are worth $10 when cabbies send them in to the DNC for reimbursement. So let's think this through (something the DNC apparently didn't do). There are two things that should be kept in mind when analyzing this plan. First, the convention was supposed to bring in lots of money to businesses in Boston which would include taxi companies and independent cabbies. Second, the convention has already created unprecedented road and mass-transit closings which are going to make life miserable for commuters, including taxi drivers. So what does the DNC do, it comes up with a socialist plan that will reduce the amount of money cabbies can earn while sitting in traffic by forcing the cabbies to turn off their meters and accept these vouchers. Worse, these vouchers are fixed and don't take into account the distance traveled or include the cost of tolls. Many of the hotels that delegates will be staying at are out in the suburbs. (via Boston Herald) The trial balloon didn't fly with the cabbies who, when operating on a meter, can earn airport fares ranging from $20 to more than $30 depending on traffic. The flat rate also does not appear to include the $6.25 each cab must pay for tunnel tolls and a Massport fee. So much for the party for the working people. Mass Backwards has more here, including news that traffic report choppers are going to be grounded as well. nerepublican.blogspot.com