A dirtbag state agency (The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority), has repeatedly violated its founding charter. First, the wholeagency was supposed tobe dissolved in 1995, when the (original) construction bonds were paid off. (The turnpike was supposed to cease to exist, the toll booths wouldbe taken down, and the highway would revert to state control). Instead, the hacks running this managed to sell new bonds, thus keeping the monsteralive.
Secondpoint (the object of my proposedlawsuit). The turnpike authority is now a taxing agent of the state-tolls have doubled and tripled…and the lines at the tollbooths are long. The AIR POLLUTION caused by thousands of idling car and truck engines(waiting at the toll booths) is damaging to my health and other citizen’s.
So, I wouldliketo initiate a lawsuit,on behalf of all the citizens of massachusetts, seekingto:
-dissolve the turnpike authority (and fire its ruling hacks)
-remove the toll booths and make the highway a free road
How to I start such a class action?
Go to a class action lawyer. He will be happy to file the suit, which, if it makes it to trial and he actually wins, will earn him about 2/3 of the verdict. Expect things to take at least five years.
friedo, it is probably a good idea not to attempt to answer questions in GQ when you don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s also worthwhile to actually read the OP – you’ll notice that ralph124c’s proposed suit makes no mention of suing for damages – even were it the case that an attorney would take 2/3 of the verdict (it’s not), in this case, even were it to be successful, there would be no money involved.
ralph124c, if you want to pursue this you should consult with an attorney. However, it is typically very difficult to sue instrumentalities of the state in an effort to get them to do their work differently or adopt alternate policies, especially if you did not suffer a direct, particularized injury from the agency’s action. The more appropriate (and usually more effective) way to get problems like this addressed is to develop a grass-roots advocacy organization to lobby the state legislature or governor to implement the changes you desire. From the very brief escription of your goals, it seems like you have policy objections to the operation of the agency, and that is a matter for the political branches of the state government, not the courts.
That said, don’t let me discourage you from contacting a Massachusetts attorney who has expertise in this area of law and who may be able to research the issue more fully – I don’t have nearly enough information to fully analyze the question.
–Cliffy
Sign me up if you do go ahead with this. I am on the Mass Pike several times a month and if those tolls are out of date by their own charter, they should take them down.
HennaDancer