Any toll collectors losing their jobs should think about police work. Engineers and bankers too?

But there's probably a long line at the union door.

The Boston Globe - which obtained the data by requests under public records laws - reports that the 176 police troopers working the Massachusetts Turnpike averaged $155,700 in pay last year. By our arithmetic that's a total cost of $27.4m. And that's just pay before benefits, and the cost of their cars, equipment, and services. $40m total?

Over half made more than the state governor

58% of Turnpike troopers made more last year than the state governor's salary of 140k and 37 of those at the Turnpike and Logan Airport combined made over $200k. Turnpike cops get cars they can take home and free gasoline. Much of the money they make is overtime but their base pay rate is around $40/hour.

Labor contracts with the police union guarantee continuing increases in costs.

And some apologists for state toll authorities would have you believe the only way private business can make money running tollroads is by raising tolls!

COMMENT: we've got serious doubts about the Boston Globe's implied suggestion that the state governor is worth more than the average cop.

Deval Patrick, the new guv has yet to prove himself, so we'll give him a pass. As for his awful predecessor the made-in-Hollywood Mitt Romney we can say without hesitation, he's doesn't deserve half a cop's pay following that ridiculous Massachusetts Turnpike toll abolition stunt he pulled before the last state election. Not only was it bad public policy, opportunistic and wrong.

Worst of all it was a blunder.

Romney didn't con anyone which is the first requirement of any half capable pol.

TOLLROADSnews 2007-03-11