Transportation
Legislative imperatives:
Fully fund, modernize, and expand the MBTA, a necessary step towards addressing both the climate crisis and reducing air pollution caused by high emissions from heavy traffic
Guarantee the right to mobility through free and accessible public transportation for everyone in order to combat income disparities and discriminatory housing policies. Public transportation is more than a system of transit, it is a resource that grants access to employment, education, health care, and culture
Pass a Massachusetts Green New Deal that disincentivizes fossil fuel transportation and transitions to cleaner and safer transportation infrastructure
My platform:
A fully-funded, reliable, expansive, and safe public transportation system is the lifeline of any large city. Access to public transit is about more than getting from point A to point B. Transportation guarantees access to employment, education, health care, and culture, experiences that shape and enrich our lives. It is also critical to acknowledge that the guarantee of free transportation is vital to the protection of fundamental rights. To address income inequality and institutional racism, all neighborhoods must have access to the same reliable public transportation options as the wealthiest communities. It is unacceptable for any neighborhood to be underserved by public transportation infrastructure and to suffer from unreliable service. Transportation also lies at the center of the climate crisis. The use of transportation is the largest and fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions. Massachusetts must dramatically reduce its carbon footprint in transportation by investing in the T, the Commuter Rail, and in MBTA bus services.
The public transportation infrastructure in the Greater Boston region fails to meet the demands of a modern city. The State House has failed to invest in a functioning transportation system that serves everyone and continues to favor patchwork measures, failing to demonstrate the urgency needed to truly tackle glaring shortcomings and declines in ridership. The Authorizing and Accelerating Transportation Investment Act, which was proposed by the Baker Administration last year, falls short of the investment needed to fully fund public transportation. Such initiatives are merely a step in the right direction towards fully funding the MBTA, addressing serious needs for repairs, and expanding the reach of MBTA services. We must invest in public transportation infrastructure that is affordable, accessible, and accomplishes its purpose of guaranteeing that all people can move freely and without undue burden.
As a long-term resident of Somerville and a native of the Greater Boston area, I have experienced the challenges caused by the T’s delays and inadequate investment in green transportation. I am an avid cyclist and year-round make the trip across the Longfellow Bridge to the Act on Mass working space near Beacon Hill. I believe that now more than ever Massachusetts needs critical infrastructure that provides for clean and sustainable transportation options. I also am a frequent rider of the T and MBTA bus services and share in the frustration that stems from the unwillingness of the State House to properly fund a transportation system that guarantees reliable and equal access for all residents.
Businesses benefit disproportionately from having a strong transportation network, providing a range of travel options for employees and customers. Thus, it is fair and sensible that businesses fund a reliable transportation network. Through progressive revenue measures, we can not only make public transportation free, but upgrade existing infrastructure that has worn after decades of neglect. We can also expand service by investing in the Commuter Rail, connect the Red and Blue Lines and invest in true high-speed rail across the state. An increase in the tax rate paid by C-corps would produce hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue that could be reinvested in maintaining and expanding MBTA services.
Guaranteeing the right to mobility is essential for a just economy, protecting both public health and the environment, and providing equal access for every single person. As your representative, you can trust that I will hold the State House responsible for investing in a free and well-maintained public transportation system that we are proud of.
We will fight for:
A fully funded MBTA, which is free and accessible to everyone
The passage of a Massachusetts Green New Deal that supports the expansion of clean, fossil-fuel free public transportation
An increase in tax rates for C-corps, fighting to make sure that large businesses pay their fair share for necessary investments in public goods
Increased fees on ride-hailing applications, levying a $1 fee on ride-hailing services in order to reduce the number of environmentally harmful single-occupancy vehicles on the road
Pass the Modern and Sustainable Solutions for Transportation Act, expanding transportation in low-income communities, electrifying transportation, subsidizing and incentivizing zero-emission vehicle ownership, and supporting bicycle transportation
Fund the expansion of MBTA Commuter and Regional Rail services, reducing congested highway traffic and providing environmentally-friendly statewide transit
What we’ve delivered so far
Worked with colleagues and advocates to secure $28M to the Amelia Earhart Dam and Draw Seven Park
Secured $400M for the MBTA to address ongoing safety concerns identified by the Federal Transit Administration’s Safety Management Inspection and $275M for the East-West passenger rail project
Invested $175M for the development and implementation of programs to promote, establish or expand public electric vehicle charging infrastructure, the development and implementation of incentive programs promoting e-bikes and public transportation
Increased funding by more than $375M for the state’s Chapter 90 program and bond funding, which provides municipalities with a reliable funding source for transportation-related improvements, including road and bridge repairs
Joined House colleagues to secure $20M for reduced MBTA fares for riders with low incomes.