MDC in MA to be eliminated?

[Z]

Yesterday Romney fired David Balfour, the MDC chief, and vowed to fold the 100+yr old MDC under the Dept of Environmenal Management. This has been proposed for a long time, but was always blocked by the legislature...

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/029/region/Romney_fired_MDC_chief_moves_t:.shtml

It will be very interesting to see how this plays out politically, but one thing is for sure, the budget for parks and trails will continue to be cut deeper.

[knucklebuste]

Cut, cut, cut, cut. Thats all your going to hear for the next year, so get use to it. We'll thanks to all the top executives involved in the big dig. Thank you, I'm glad you exploited the thing and your pockets are fat. And just imagine all the corruption that occured that we did not hear about. This state is a horror show, and I also predict that people are not going to want to run businesses in this state. This state is going to end up in a world of sh*t financially. Romney is not the answer. Their going to have to cut more than the MDC to fix this mess. How about a toll hike on the Mass Pike? That's coming soon, you wait. Four bucks on, four bucks off. You wait. Knuckle

[p_coutermarsh]

Hopefully, through the elimination of the MDC payroll the state will be able to maintain the current park related programs through the Department of Environmental Management. Whether it's Romney or someone else, the cuts in the budget and increases in revenue are inevitable. Also, he is dealing with a mess that was handed down by the past governor and those that have been on "the hill" for sometime. I would imagine increases will appear at the RMV and other state agencies (maybe even cigarettes and gas). I would rather pay higher fees than see funds decreased or withdrawn from state parks. H-m-m-m, New Hampshire is starting to look better and better!

[Sky Pilot]

Cut, cut, cut, cut. Thats all your going to hear for the next year, so get use to it.


we can only hope so. how is it possible that we are spending all this money? i think the state budget has close to tripled in the last 15 years. that's not inflation. there are lots of people who have made lots of money. i think if you try to find out you will either go crazy or someone will put you out of your misery. that's what happens when tens of billions are involved. this is so broken i don't think it can be fixed.

but i really enjoyed my two summers with the mdc when i was in high school.... ;D

[knucklebuste]

Yep, more and more people are going to move out of this state. I'm thinking of going south to R.I.
Time to get the hell out of Mass. I wish everyone moved out and let the greedy politicians handle the mess out of their own pockets that they like to line with cash. Yeah I know I'm an a**hole. I just do not like politicians. They are shady, greedy, low-life, less-than-human EVIL-DOERS. Knuckle

[knucklebuste]

That last message does not apply to my uncle, commander in chief, President Bush. BUSH RULES. Knuckle

[p_coutermarsh]

The difference between a politician and a criminal is very slight, the chances an act of a criminal will affect you financially is slim, while politicains rob you blind every day! I guess the real question is who is more dangerous?!

;D

[Kenquig]

I'm thinking of going south to R.I.
Time to get the hell out of Mass. I wish everyone moved out and let the greedy politicians handle the mess out of their own pockets that they like to line with cash. Yeah I know I'm an a**hole. I just do not like politicians. They are shady, greedy, low-life, less-than-human EVIL-DOERS. Knuckle


Nuckle,

You are right. There are no greedy politicians in RI. Buddy cianci was wrongly convicted. He told me on the six o'clock news.

Ken :D

[SloMoJo]

Oops here's the original MDC post.

Ya know, I see 3 MDC cars at the local coffee shop each morning. They were a PIA last summer. My usual bass fishing hole I could fish all night if I wanted in the past. Last year the MDC swat team would swoop in at dark with lights flashing to kick me out of the fishing pond.

I would say MDC is as good a place as any to trim, but that's just me.
-Jo
Save your flames please.

[knucklebuste]

I'm thinking of going south to R.I.
Time to get the hell out of Mass. I wish everyone moved out and let the greedy politicians handle the mess out of their own pockets that they like to line with cash. Yeah I know I'm an a**hole. I just do not like politicians. They are shady, greedy, low-life, less-than-human EVIL-DOERS. Knuckle


Nuckle,

You are right. There are no greedy politicians in RI. Buddy cianci was wrongly convicted. He told me on the six o'clock news.

Ken :D


Cianci is a bum, they are all bums, but I can't move to a state where there are no politicians. I don't care what they do or what they cut or how they try to save me money. It doesn't really affect me too much except the small taxes on medicine and gas and such. But to me, that's just small stuff. Yeah it adds up, but it really doesn't matter who's governor and what they do. They can't do anything to make things better, as the system as a whole is a failure, one reason being is that there are too many fat (prime rib eating) politicians with 8 chins up on beacon and capitol hill. They all want a piece of the pie, but it's the system as a whole that sucks. One of the things I would do to trim the budget and federal deficit is cut the congress and senate in half, and split the US into regions. NE, SE Central and West Coast, 2 politicians for each sector. I'd get rid of the house of rep's all together and have 1 governor and 1 mayor and that's it. So who gives a crap as well about what all the extra's in there are trying to accomplish. It isn't much now is it. Look at the history. Nothing has changed significantly over the years. It's worse now. It's time to rewrite the books fellas. A whole new world. Knuckle for president.
Uncle Knuckle Wants You

[SloMoJo]

Yea yea....sure I'll vote for ya, but I think you'll only get our 2 votes. ;)

I still say MA is a great state to live. I love the variety of things to do here. I don't fret over politicians, cuz it's not something in my control. I have enough work to do on things within my control. Nobody likes to get taxed up the A$$, but I don't want to live in West Virginia either.

I do daydream of Australia and New Zealand. I had a trip to Sidney last year, and it was pretty close to paradise. Oh yea, where were we...MDC? Whatever...we still riding this weekend?! ::)

[MR. Pinchy]

God almighty Knuck, If bush is your uncle, what the hell are you doing talking to any of us. seems to me you already have a leg in the door never mind a foot.. and as much as I am not a huge fan of G.W. right now (Mr. Pinchy is not down with war!, I would much rather see or not he he! a seal team go in and pop Saddams head off and maybe stick around long enough to pop some of his top aids and really screw things up over there!.... ..But someone somewhere said assassination is immorall and wrong and Illegal!.. Lousy bums! Anyway a lot of polliticians are alright I believe a pollitician Started this thread, I want to become a pollitician, that way I can tear the system apart from the inside!... ..yea.....then I can become president..... ....of the world AHA HA HA HA AHA HA HA HA HAA HAA HAA HA HA.. E-hem E-hem terribly sorry folks!



(((VOTE Mr. PINCHY, for Emperor)))


I bid you good day!!

[SloMoJo]

Well, I like Georgie boy....even voted for him. But I do have to admit...he's not the brightest bulb on the tree.

No wonder we have not found Bin Laden yet?

[Sky Pilot]

I don't fret over politicians, cuz it's not something in my control.


now everybody read that quote again. i think that says it all, slomojo.

and when was it that government of the people, by the people, for the people perished from this earth?

i think it happened in our lifetimes.

[SloMoJo]

Interesting comments there my friend SkyPilot.

Dissappointment in government is not unique to this generation. It's common throughout the ages.

I say these are the best of times in history for a variety of reasons. America is still the best country partly for the things you mentioned.

To clarify myself...
As people we have a chance to make a difference at voting time and times of national or local crisis. I'm a strong believer in voting. Once the elected official is in place it's out of my control, I choose. You can still lobby for change, but that's not something I choose to put my energy toward. So I choose not to fret about it, until next time to vote.

We have a great government. I tend to think there is too much government, which burdens our economy and livelyhoods. To me it seems Mass has always been in love with the Kennedy's and democratic expensive government ideals, and we pay for it dearly. I suppose that's is why I lean towards Rebulican party ideals. I also feel Democratic party tries to represent (please) too many different groups, and fall short on their main task. That's just personal opinion..nothing more. Honestly, I rarely talk politics or push my opinion. Opinions are like buttholes right? everyone has one, and they usually stink. ;)

Anyways, I have been to a few places around the world, and there's no place better than the US of A, imho...even with it's many problems.
-SloMo out

[Richie Rich]

Only 51% of the voting population voted in the 2000 presidential election so there is more than just a few NEMBA members that have put more faith in Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO's) than politicians. If you are a NEMBA/IMBA member you may not realize it but you are a part of a NGO and you do care.

Without voting there are other things you can do: for one you could boycott Corporate America's products that don't follow your ideals. A good book on this subject is "The Silent Takeover".

I thought this was a mountain bike forum?

[lee]

THis is sort of related...as an environmental consultant...its pretty important....just shows the cutback we can expect..


STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, JAN. 30, 2003

The state's top environmental
protection post is vacant.
A day after the Romney administration axed Metropolitan District
Commissioner David Balfour, Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
Commissioner Lauren Liss was also forced out.

Katie Cahill, spokeswoman for Environmental Affairs Secretary Ellen Roy
Herzfelder, confirmed Thursday that Liss had complied with the request
for
her resignation.

Gov. Paul Cellucci appointed Liss in May 1999. Prior to her
appointment,
she served as general counsel at the Executive Office of Transportation
and
Construction, under then-Secretary James Kerasiotes.

Cahill said no other ranking environmental officials have been asked to
resign. Roy Herzfelder was named by Gov. Mitt Romney to replace
Environmental Affairs Secretary Robert Durand.

"The secretary is in the process of looking for a new commissioner,"
said
Cahill. "She has to make sure she has the right people in place in the
right positions."

Jack Clarke, director of advocacy for the Massachusetts Audubon Society,
said Romney and Roy Herzfelder have yet another important decision to
make. "The DEP commissioner is the most important environmental
position
in the Commonwealth," said Clarke. "The secretary sets policy, the DEP
commissioner implements it through statutes and regulations."
DEP is charged with preventing pollution, protecting natural resources,
promoting safe waste disposal and recycling, ensuring timely cleanup of
contaminated sites, and preserving wetlands and coastal resources.

Environmentalists and former DEP commissioners have complained recently
that the agency is listing.

And Liss was not the most popular figure in the environmental advocacy
community. While she would often confer with both businesses and
environmentalists, she often sided with the industry in disputes over
pollution, said Pam DiBona, lobbyist for the Environmental League of
Massachusetts.

"The Cellucci-Swift administration saw business, not the environment, as
DEP's client," DiBona said. "In enforcement, they could have been a lot
more aggressive."

Clarke said he hopes Romney will hire an aggressive commissioner.
"Under
difficult fiscal times it's even more important to step up environmental
enforcement," he said. "If business and industry knows they're not
being
watched, they tend to be lax with compliance with environmental laws."

Asked about Liss' run, Clarke said: "She was a very nice person. It was
a
quiet tenure, not overly aggressive and particularly in the last year
they
were under a lot of fiscal constraints." The largest round of layoffs
in
DEP's history came last year when 50 workers were let go to help balance
the state budget.

Clarke said the state's budget problems are overshadowing most policy
initiatives as the new legislative session gets underway. A big
question,
he said, is which policies and programs survive and thrive as lawmakers
and
Romney look to reduce spending to keep it in line with sluggish tax
revenues.

In a June 2002 Boston Globe opinion piece, five former DEP commissioners
?
David Standley, Anthony Cortese, Daniel Greenbaum, Russ Sylva and David
Struhs - wrote that it was "appalling" that Massachusetts ranks 45th
nationally in spending on the environment as a percentage of the overall
budget.

The ex-commissioners said DEP is perversely dependent on revenues that
"come from the kind of growth that causes increased sprawl and
environmental degradation." The agency receives only 25 percent of its
funding from the state's General Fund. In sum, they said, the agency is
not a priority at budget time.

The commercial real estate industry wished Liss well as she
departs. "Commissioner Liss was a believer in the concept of more
environmental protection with less process and we appreciated her
willingness to provide us with the opportunity to comment on the many
issues that affected the commercial real estate industry," the National
Association of Industrial and Office Properties said in a prepared
statement.

While working in the transportation secretariat, Liss was charged with
ensuring that the Big Dig, MBTA and Mass Highway Department complied
with
environmental protection laws. Liss was familiar with the Big Dig,
having
served previously as senior environmental counsel for the project
itself.

Before entering public service, Liss worked as a junior partner at
Nutter,
McClennen and Fish.

Liss did not return phone calls seeking comment. She will remain at her
post for a few weeks to help with the transition to an acting
commissioner. Cahill said Roy Herzfelder is just beginning the process
of
laying out job qualifications. "We don't have individuals already in
line," Cahill said.

[johnnyt]

Lee,
It is great to know that I am not the only environmental consultant in the group with all these code punchers! This is rough news for us considering teh MDC is one of my clients!
JT

[SloMoJo]

Very interesting stuff.

I did not even consider that some of you guys may have job impact, but this decision. No one needs more challenges in that area. Sorry to hear that.
-SloJo

[fellsbiker]

My question is, what does this mean for Mountain Biking...
A) In the Fells
and
B) In all the other MDC-ran lands?????