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I was listening to WCAP while running errands yesterday and happened to catch an interview with Michael Widmer, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. Naturally, the discussion centered on the economy, and in particular, the governor’s alleged plan to raise the gas tax 29 cents, making it the highest in the nation. (Turns out, the governor is still in the planning stages on that issue, with his tax hike anywhere from five cents to 29 cents—the former number not even close to being the highest in the nation.) Today’s Globe reports: “The gas tax in Massachusetts is 23.5 cents per gallon, which has not been substantially increased since 1991. A 29-cent increase would bring the state’s tax to 52.5 cents per gallon. New York currently has the nation’s highest state gas tax, at 41.3 cents per gallon.”

During the interview, Widmer said that some gas tax would be acceptable if it was tied specifically to improving roads and coupled with reform of the state’s transportation agencies. He also went on to explain the difference between his foundation and Citizens for Limited Taxation (CLT), probably most familiar to readers in the form of Barbara Anderson and her many columns. Widmer noted that while CLT strongly supported Question 1 on last year’s ballot—you know the one to eliminate the state income tax—the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, a research-based think tank, determined the proposal would be devastating to the delivery of services and require a steep rise in property taxes. As someone concerned with quality of life issues and services that impact our community’s health, such as education, I think it’s important to stay informed about an organization that has both credibility and objectivity on its side.

I read with great interest yesterday’s article in the Lowell Sun regarding newly elected State Representative Jim Arciero’s bill to end a decades-old perk that enables legislators with 20+ years of service to increase their pensions substantially if they are fired or not re-elected. According to the Sun article: “Depending on their salaries and time of service, the perk allows officials with more than 20 years on the job to begin collecting “superannuation” pensions immediately, along with life-time health insurance.” The article goes on to list a series of gluttonous beneficiaries of the perk that defies belief: such as Mike Lewis, former director of the Big Dig, raising his pension base by one million dollars to $2.47 million, or Representative Christopher Hodgkins more than quadrupling his pension. That Arciero, who served for years as a staff member for State Senator Steve Panagiotakos, has introduced this important reform legislation less than two months into his first term is impressive. If he can get the support he needs from his colleagues, even better. Aside from the stunning realization that boosting pensions this way has gone on since 1950, how could anyone NOT support putting an end to such a blatant abuse of taxpayers’ money? Let’s keep our eyes on this one to see if there truly is any hope of self-reform under the Commonwealth’s Golden Dome.

There’s an article in today’s Boston Globe about an MBTA driver, Patrick Coughlin, who helped a woman allegedly being harassed on his bus by a fellow passenger. After ordering the man to change seats and then, when the behavior continued, demanding he get off his bus, Coughlin called for backup, and the man was arrested. As someone who used to live in Boston years ago, often travelling alone at night by public transportation, I can relate to the woman’s fear, and I admire Coughlin’s courage in intervening. So often it seems we look away from the pain of strangers, afraid to get involved—whether it’s stopping to help a stranded traveler or, even scarier, speaking out against another’s aggressive behavior. You have to be careful because you never know who might have a weapon, or whether it’s legitimate or some sort of scam. Yet, when we look away from another’s need, we lose a little of our own humanity. Coughlin put his personal safety at risk by refusing to allow a man to harass a woman on his bus, and that makes him a hero.

Another sort of hero, one who showed courage and dogged persistence, is Harry Markopolos, the Whitman man who struggled for nine years to get federal authorities to stop Bernard Madoff and his $50 billion Ponzi scheme. Today’s Globe covers Markopolos’ testimony before Congress where he describes his near-decade of efforts to get someone at the Boston and New York offices of the Securities and Exchange Commission to do their job. The fact that Markopolos spoke out in the first place, not to mention his relentless pursuit of justice despite years of bureaucratic brush-off, is remarkable and inspiring. I am relieved to know there are still heroes among us; everyday folks who try to do the right thing in spite of the risks. I like to think that when those opportunities arise in my life, I also will act with courage and persistence to be a person I can admire.

Even though I’m not a cold-weather fan, I won’t miss visiting downtown Lowell this weekend to participate in the ninth annual WinterFest celebration—always a frosty good time for folks of all ages. The city has added new activities such as a Progressive Dinner & Jazz Night (tomorrow night from 6-10) that includes live music and special appetizers, entrees and desserts featured at downtown restaurants, as well as a Winter Cocktail Competition with choices such as Polar Berry Martini or Snow Blower (rum, cranberry, Schnapps, and orange juice). Diners “progress” through their meal by visiting the restaurants and sampling featured items. Also new is Merrimack Valley’s Got Talent, an entertainment competition that will showcase high school youth, as well as a Chinese Lantern Festival, and free horse-drawn sleigh rides. The best-loved old standbys, of course, will also be included, such as the Human Dogsled Races, the North Bowl Soup Competition, free skating and children’s activities at the Tsongas Arena, lots of music and art, and the grand finale on Saturday—fireworks over City Hall. So bundle up and join us for some winter fun.

In another blatant attempt to bully the school committee, today’s Lowell Sun features its second editorial in eight days lambasting the board while ignoring basic facts and context: “How this perk was ever extended to the nonunion sector is anybody’s guess. But the shame of it falls on the School Department’s Central Office financial whiz kids who didn’t see the error of their ways, and on the school board for its lack of oversight in rubber-stamping the payments.”

It is not a guess how this benefit extended to non-union employees: it is a way for management to dissuade employees from joining unions, which allows them greater flexibility in scheduling and other management rights. Extending these benefits has been such a longstanding practice, in fact, not only in our schools but with Lowell city employees and municipalities across the state, that it defies logic for the Sun to blame it on the school committee. (But then logic and truth don’t factor much in these editorials.) For instance, Lowell Code 56-6 E clearly specifies that employees “shall be paid for unused accumulated sick leave on a forty-percent ratio” with a maximum buyback not to exceed $20,000 and without a longevity requirement. (The benefit for school employees—including the 47 non-union members—pays only those with 15+ years of service and accrues at a 33 percent ratio with no cap.)

The major problem with sick-leave buyback is that it is extremely expensive; this year’s school budget allocates $1 million to pay for it. However, removing the benefit for most employees can’t happen by a simple vote from the school board or the city council. Sick-leave buyback was negotiated into union contracts decades ago—presumably as an attendance and retirement incentive, as well as a perk when salaries were low. The only way to get it out of our contracts, which impacts more than 2,000 unionized school employees, is to negotiate it out.

Regardless of the nasty editorials, the Lowell School Committee must vote regarding the 47 non-union employees. Unlike the city, we do not have an ordinance that grants the benefit in writing although the non-union members may fall under city jurisdiction. Nine of the 47 have served 15 years or more, which means they are vested and expecting to receive a total of about $136,000 in buyback payments if they retire today—a benefit they have seen their colleagues (both union and not) receive for decades. As is often the case with these editorials, the true shame is how inaccurately a complex issue is portrayed, and what a disservice that is to the public. (My response to last week’s rant here.) The school committee will meet at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, 2/4, which will be televised live on channel 10.

Last year, Jackie and I dabbled with the idea of doing a cable talk show on LTC. We took a class and learned how to use a camera, even did a couple of interviews; however, we soon became overwhelmed by the amount of work and time required. The real problem soon surfaced: neither of us wanted to be in front of the camera. Jackie could see herself as a director, me – I liked the editing part. Lacking star quality, we let the idea fade away, so we were really impressed to hear that WCAP’s former talk show host, George Anthes, was hosting a DAILY cable TV show. It’s true, Mr. Anthes has reinvented himself as a TV personality and his show, City Life, airs on Channel 8, weekdays from 4:00 to 5:30 pm. In fact, if you haven’t yet seen the show, you might want to tune in tomorrow afternoon, when Jackie will be a guest from 4:30 – 5:30 pm.

I’m not a football fan, but I live with those who follow the sport with passion and even this year, without the Pats, the day revolved around getting in front of the television by 6:00 pm. My role is to provide the food, and I came up with some decent Buffalo Wings, courtesy of a great barbecue blog I stumbled across. Of course, it meant deep-frying, which is normally taboo in my cooking, but, hey, it’s the last big football day of the year (we don’t count the pro-ball, apparently). And, at least we didn’t have the Bacon Explosion! I also grilled London Broils, which we sliced thin and stacked onto garlic toasts with horseradish cream sauce. Yum! We’re voting for Arizona and at half-time, they missed a goal or something, so we comforted ourselves with Jackie’s healthy and spicy bean soup.