Wow - Congress actually did something that helps m

[LoveTrains]

Thank you Congress for actually doing something that helped me. In the deal that averted the fiscal cliff, they adjusted the pre-tax public transit benefit back up to $240, to match the parking benefit. It had been something like $120 which is really ridiculous.

That will save me a few hundred on my taxes. Woohoo!

[vtdiamond]

Me too, my monthly pass is $223!

[LoveTrains]

The thing that was so stupid was that the parking benefit was higher than the transit benefit before. Wouldn't you think that we want to encourage public transit? Glad that the change has been rectified, hopefully this time permanently.

[vtdiamond]

Yeah that's crazy that the parking benefit was higher. With MBTA increasing prices it was getting close to being more economical to drive then take the train.

[LoveTrains]

Jan 9, 2013 19:10:34 GMT -5 vtdiamond said:

Yeah that's crazy that the parking benefit was higher. With MBTA increasing prices it was getting close to being more economical to drive then take the train.

Especially with the increase of the parking, too, at MBTA lots.

I heard a rumor that the MBTA is going to have to raise prices again this summer.

[vtdiamond]

Jan 9, 2013 19:17:21 GMT -5 LoveTrains said:

Jan 9, 2013 19:10:34 GMT -5 vtdiamond said:

Yeah that's crazy that the parking benefit was higher. With MBTA increasing prices it was getting close to being more economical to drive then take the train.

Especially with the increase of the parking, too, at MBTA lots.

I heard a rumor that the MBTA is going to have to raise prices again this summer.

I heard that as well, and my pass increased by $50 with the hike this summer, ugh.

[LoveTrains]

Jan 9, 2013 19:21:06 GMT -5 swizz said:

Is that decided by state? I feel like ours were the same?

The pre-tax stuff for transit and parking is done at the federal level.

Vtdiamond and I are just talking about the MBTA fare increase. The MBTA is the Boston transit agency that runs the subway and commuter rail. It is known as the "T".

[LoveTrains]

Haha, no worries swizz!

[chia]

I was so happy when I found this out the other day.
I'm notorious for bitching about the transit subsidy level around my office.
It costs me like $11/day to ride Metro downtown, and that doesn't even include the $5/day parking at the station and $65/mo parking pass ON TOP of the daily fee!

[Deleted]

It was $120? That's ridiculous. Not that the national tax policy should revolve around New York, but an unlimited ride MetroCard is something like $100, and if people are commuting from outside the city, the MetroCard part of their commute tends to be way cheaper than their trains/busses. So $120 would get you nowhere. I'd imagine that's pretty common for public transit commuters, and the government should be encouraging people to commute by mass transit instead of driving! (where feasible)

[LoveTrains]

Yeah I mean I think it should be more like $300 or even more than $240, frankly. My H's monthly train ticket is $378.

[cookies]

Thank you thank you thank you! I had no idea (and neither did my coworkers). I read this on the bus last night and was so excited! I changed my elections immediately, but sadly missed the deadline for February's pass.

I hope we get a refund for last year too. That would be amazing.

[kershnic]

Oh yay!! I also have bitched about this a lot! Now can they add tolls? Ha ha ha. I don't see why parking is tax free, but whatever.