Earlier this year, a Massachusetts governor finally decided to stop kicking the transportation funding question into the long grass. Many of us cheered on the creation of a task force to consider the various funding sources and develop "a comprehensive transportation finance plan.” She stated this plan “must include long-term measures to address the critical transportation investment needs and deferred maintenance backlogs facing the Commonwealth.”
Those were Gov. Maura Healey's words, not mine.
And yet, virtually every piece of news since the launch has been more disappointing than the last. The commission may not even issue any recommendations and important (perhaps essential) tools are reportedly being taken off the table.
This pivotal moment cannot be squandered on yet another commission presenting policymakers with "transportation revenue options" or a mere "tool kit." We know the available options, backed by countless reports outlining various revenue sources.
How can anything be "off the table?" The T grapples with a staggering $25 billion backlog of repairs and a persistent structural deficit, a consequence of tethering T funding to an underperforming sales tax, shortchanging the T by about $8.9-$15.5 billion over two decades. Looming deficits threaten imminent cuts as early as next year.
Massachusetts is burdened with over 600 structurally deficient bridges, numerous unfunded highway repair projects, and numerous towns that still need evening and weekend regional transit authority service. The imperative for a concrete plan, not just another report, has never been more palpable.
Transit fares have skyrocketed by 200-300 percent over three decades, while the gas tax only saw a meager 14 percent increase. Yet, many of our roads remain perilous for vulnerable users, and our transit systems, particularly the regional transit authorities, desperately need more funding for service expansion and future planning. This predicament will only worsen with the declining relevance of the gas tax amidst the state's focus on electric vehicles without identifying alternative revenue sources for these often heavier vehicles.
New York City's approach offers a viable solution to address the most pressing issue: the MBTA budget deficit. By implementing a wide array of taxes and fees, including those levied on Uber and Lyft, rental cars, and a modest payroll tax hike, they've steered clear of an operating deficit—emerging as the only large agency to do so. With no single revenue source bearing the brunt or resolving the budget crisis independently, this balanced approach is a thoughtful model the governor and the task force ought to emulate.
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