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Monday, March 1, 2010

When All Goes Right, Deval Still Goes Left!

When it comes to paying bills, sometimes convenience comes at a cost. Researching this article has revealed that Capital One charges almost $15 to pay your bill by phone and Dell charges $10 to pay through their website. Not to be outdone, the City of Somerville has some very specific charges when it comes to paying bills online:
Pay real estate, personal property taxes, or water and sewer bills
25 Cents per transaction, if you pay by electronic check. 3-5% surcharge for credit card transactions ($1 min charge)

Pay excise tax
50 cents per transaction, if you pay by electronic check, 3.2% surcharge for credit card transactions ($3 min charge)

Pay parking tickets
Convenience fees will apply for credit card transactions. $3.00 per transaction.

I opened this article with 'sometimes' because Deval Patrick has decided to add insult to the injury that is visiting the RMV. Today marks the beginning of a $5 fee if Massachusetts residents speak with an RMV representative on the phone or go in to one of the 30 branches for the following services:

• Renewing your driver’s license (except for the 10-year renewal required in person);
• Getting a duplicate license or Massachusetts ID;
• Renewing your registration; or
• Requesting an attested driving record.

The fee won’t be charged for transactions completed online, by mail, or over the RMV’s automated phone system differentiating the state from some cities, most corporations and banks.

So, what do you suppose the trickle down effect of this will be? RMV employees will be laid-off because most Mass residents will start using the online/snail mail services (and you know the increase in these avenues will not create job opportunities that compensate for the potential job loss), or be put into a position to entertain an enraged RMV visitor because, for those of you playing at home, this $5 follows the $10 hike licenses just received.

All in all, this fee will effect those not internet-connected, specifically, the elderly which, stats show, are the most CONSISTENT VOTERS! Did someone replace Deval's daily planner with a book on how not to get re-elected?

I will end this piece with the information I might as well provide because I know I'll get a thousand emails about it if I don't...

The following people are or are rumored to be running for Governor of Massachusetts (please "comment" names I missed):
Tim Cahill
Charlie Baker (Richard Tisei as running mate)
Dr. Gerry Dembrowski
Grace Ross
Dr. Jill Stein
Christy Mihos

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