Town Meeting Members, please DON”T GIVE THE TOWN TO THE MBTA!!

Belmont Town Meeting is being “railroaded” by the MBTA, specifically the MBTA Communities Act.  Here’s HOPE for those who  have dutifully followed the false words of certain “town planners ” and  “town administrators.” It is unknown if conflicts of interest exist among these folks but the speed of the “railroading” causes us to wonder.

Other communities are denying this Massachusetts overreach. Milton specifically. So far while Milton was denied certain claims they still have claims pending:

1. The State failed to follow Massachusetts Administrative Procedures Act, failing to properly notify cities and towns and their residents according to the procedures the State has established. The State attempted to file it as an Emergency action but they are unable to  meet the required justification

2.  The MBTA Communities Act has been declared an Unfunded Mandate by the State Auditor.  Info on how that is determined: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/learn-about-mandate-determinations

3.  The  Milton case did not address the Home Rule Currently MBTA Communities Act fails the State’s Home Rule provision. There is also a Federal Home Rule provision that may have been violated. Possible additional lawsuit.

4. Additional Lawsuit: During October 2024 a group of Rockport citizens sued the state on the basis of the unconstitutionality of the MBTA Community Act. Several Belmont residents joined this lawsuit as Intervenors. Most recently citizen groups from 35 different Massachusetts communities are also joining this lawsuit which will move forward as a Class Action suit.

“The question of Housing affordability is not even incorporated into this law. It falls into a law favoring the special interest of a few and not the people as a whole. The State argues that this law is needed to address a housing shortage but they have not substantiated that claim. Although many believe we have an affordability crisis, the affordability crisis has been exacerbated by the State’s inept, heavy-handed and bumbling attempts to make rentals and homes more affordable. In reality, Massachusetts is an expensive State to live in primarily due to its burdening taxes, wasteful spending and poor management all of which ultimately drives up the costs for homeowners and landlords. In addition,the State’s  Section 8 Policies have actually driven up the general costs of rentals. Based on this, Massachusetts affordability problems are government created and not easily corrected by the entity that incompetently generated them in the first place, namely our Government.  Although now the State is claiming that all these additional units they are dictatorially demanding will drive down the costs of rentals and homes, history does not support that claim. ” (Rockport resident, January 2025)