TRU's bake sale got a lot of coverage on the local news, but it wasn't enough to save the T, alas.  Despite the fact, as MassPIRG's Eric Bourassa has pointed out, that "The T fuels the economy of Greater Boston, which in turn generates 50% of the state's jobs and 73% of the population," provincial voices of protest were louder, and Governor Patrick's gas tax will probably go down in flames.

There's a little old-school Beacon Hill power play going on, too, of course.  Senate President Therese Murray has refused to increase revenue without reform.  While reform is a necessary and laudable long-term goal, making it a condition of emergency funds in a time of crisis is called politicking, especially when inaction threatens to destroy the very system you're demanding be reformed.  At least House Speaker Robert DeLeo isn't being as big a dick as Murray.  He's indicated he's open to a smaller gas tax increase. 

Who these pols are pandering to is a question, when five business groups —  the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, NAIOP Massachusetts and A Better City — have all come out in favor of an even bolder hike in the gas tax — 25¢ — than Governor Patrick. 

If we don't have the political will for a gas tax I'm not sure we have the will to address bigger issues tied to the damage driving our gas guzzlers is doing.  I was just listening to Fresh Air with Terry Gross — today's topic is climate change in the Arctic.  Gross spoke with James Balog, whose Extreme Ice Survey collects visual evidence of retreating glaciers.  All Balog's time-lapse images lack is a Philip Glass soundtrack.  Because what we're seeing is Koyaanisqatsi — life out of balance.

Balog is watching closely, and what he sees is a three-foot rise in sea levels in the next hundred years. That's actually a conservative estimate.  While most agree that rising sea levels won't top 2 meters, some have sea levels up 5 meters by the end of the century — a Water World scenario even I have trouble buying. 

Whatever the case, there's general agreement that "sea levels on the United States' mid-Atlantic coast are rising faster than the global average because of global warming".  To see when you're neighborhood will go under, click here. Mine disappears around the 10-meter mark.

Beacon Hill's safe for a good 60 or 70 meters more, surprise, surprise...


No wonder there's no urgency on the issue in the legislature.

As for MBTA fare increases and service cuts, I asked a couple of my inside sources who lobby for social and environmental causes what the odds of dodging that bullet were now.

One told me: "unfortunately the odds are not in our favor when it comes to another T fare increase and service cuts. Legislators, particularly Senators Murray and Baddour, do not seem to have the will to make a gas tax happen even though we're trying to provide  working class and poor families that have to use a car a gas tax credit," so that the increase won't mean undue hardship for those who really can't afford it.

My other insider said: "I don't know what's happening with the legislation."  But seemed to hold out hope: "I'm hearing the legislature may do a larger tax increase bill that includes funding for transportation and the T, as well as $$$ to help close the state budget gap." 

It may not all go down in time to avoid a fare increase, though. 

"The T is beginning the process of evaluating how fare hikes and service cuts will impact ridership," my source says. "I wouldn't be surprised if the T announces the formal process within the next month and plans public hearings."

Public hearings are usually pretty futile, a formality that allows cranks and crackpots to vent their frustrations at the board of the MBTA, air their paranoid ramblings, and unveil Utopian schemes for a mass transit system that's free for all and powered by the farts of flying pigs.  The board thanks them, and goes ahead with increases as planned.

It doesn't really matter.  In another decade or two, with our timidity on a forward-looking transportation policy that acknowledges the impact current priorities and practices are having on climate change, most of the subway system will be underwater anyway, with roadways to follow.  And lawmakers will still be agonizing over increasing the gas tax for motor-boaters, while those of who canoe, row, paddle-boat, and back-stroke to work will have to be satisfied with muttering "I told you so".