Disconnecting crime in Boston

[Jack_DeLeon]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/02/10/disconnecting_crime_in_boston/

They went after guns. Then it was T-shirts. Now, in Mayor Thomas M. Menino's effort to make Boston's neighborhoods safer, officials have targeted a new possible accomplice in city crime: Pay phones.

Saying that pay phones attract drug dealers and prostitutes, city agencies are pushing for an amendment to the zoning code meant to restrict installation of coin-operated phones.

I dont consider myself a poor person, in the grand scheme of things I'm not, however I dont think the cost monthly for a cell phone is worth it for me, and I'm sure there are a lot of people who make less than me who are either unwilling or unable to pay for a cell phone. So what the fuck is up with this, I hope more cities do not start down this road as it will only hurt the poor.

[Warpy]

1. Good points and somebody needs to tell that dumb shit Menino

that drug dealers and whores already use cell phones, they're harder to tap and trace than pay phone calls.

Menino hates poor people and he's probably got some phone company exec looking for a way to stop the expensive maintenance of pay phones in poor areas.

[Name removed]

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[NashVegas]

2. Aren't Most Machines Credit Card Operated Now?

just sayin' ...

[DarkTirade]

3. So apparently drug dealers can't afford cel phones...

but everyone else trying to work honest jobs to make ends meet can?

[mom cat]

4. Mumbles is so out of touch at times! Thanks for the heads up on this.

[superconnected]

5. I agree the poor will have a harder time affording cells.

You should look closer at them though for yourself. I finally disconnected my home phone that I'd had for over a decade because my cell phone was under half the cost. I even have a friend that does the pre-paid cell plan where he put's in as much money as he wants to make with calls - and no more. He did it because he rarely uses his phone and doesn't want the bill. To him it's like having a calling card. My cell right now is $70 a month -up from $50 because I have two cells on my plan - I gave one to my mother, and because I upped my mintues to 1500 a month when I added my mom. We rarely use over 100 between both our phones, though.

[Jack_DeLeon]

7. My landline is only about $35 a month...

and thats including a DSL internet connection on the line.

[superconnected]

11. Wow, I my area, I wasn't using my land line for anything, and it

was running me 120-170 a month for various charges like line maintence on line, etc. that were ridiculus. If I could have even gotten my land line down to 100 a month I would have been happy. you're way lucky in your area.

[Jack_DeLeon]

13. Wow that is bad...

If my phone line cost that much I certainly would do without.

I just got SBC, its about $10 for the basic line, $10 taxes and fees, and about $15 for DSL (used to be like $20-$30 but rates have been dropping). Thats not including long distance but we dont do much long distance calling anyways.

[Poppyseedman]

6. Simple solution.......I know it's difficult for city officials to actually

think outside the box.

Solution: Program the pay phone not to be able to receive calls. Drug dealers and prostitutes use pay phone to receive calls to conduct business.

A lot of cities ALREADY do this.

[superconnected]

12. Good idea. I bet they didn't think of it. You should email their office.

[stillcool]

9. I didn't get that.......

from reading the article.

Currently, only an electrical permit is needed to install a pay phone; the city's zoning code has no provisions regulating where they can go. Under the proposed amendment, business and building owners would be required to seek approval from the city's zoning commission unless the phone would be inside a building.

Boston Redevelopment Authority officials, who are hoping to get the amendment to the commission by March, say the measure will allow the community to decide where new pay phones go. Pay phone companies must register with the state Department of Telecommunication and Energy but are not required to disclose the number of pay phones they operate. Currently, 102 companies are registered statewide, said Tim Shevlin, the department's executive director.

''We feel that pay phones in the areas that have been designated as hot spots are detrimental to the community because they foster prostitution and drug use," said Sandra Williams of Project RIGHT, Rebuild and Improve Grove Hall Together, a nonprofit grass-roots agency in Dorchester

[951-Riverside]

10. While we're at it lets shut down Nextel/Boost mobile

This company is a HUGE favorite with drug dealers & prostitutes