Hi , When the Green Line extension finally opened in Union Square, it felt like a massive celebratory moment. Not only was this long overdue, something I had heard about my entire life (and honestly I didn’t believe it was truly happening, even after they broke ground several years ago), but it was a necessary step in making public transit more accessible to the people of Somerville, Medford, and our region.
But as you might remember, just two weeks after it opened, the GLX was shut down due to a parking garage collapse over Government Center, killing Peter Monsini, an operating engineer and Local 4 member, who was working at the site. Regular T riders know the daily pains and gambles that are just part of taking the MBTA. We fought so hard to open this green line and we need expansion of T services like we got with GLX all over Greater Boston. But we continually fall short in investing in the labor, management, and upkeep that the MBTA — North America’s oldest subway system — desperately needs. Simply put: we’ve sent the MBTA down a death spiral. We’ve set it up to fail.
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Set up to fail: The decrepitude of the MBTA Up until 2000, 80% of the MBTA’s funding was split between fares and the state government, which meant that whatever operating costs were not covered by fares and independent donors got covered by the state, so the MBTA was reimbursed for anything over fares.
But then-Governor Paul Cellucci, a Republican, decided that the MBTA was “too socialized and expensive.” Instead of government funding, he changed the funding scheme for the MBTA to be covered by 20% of the annual sales tax revenue. This change was made upon several assumptions that never came to fruition, including a 3% annual growth in sales tax revenue, and that this would cover (if not more-than cover) what the state had been reimbursing.
In reality, this was far from true. Since 2000, our sales tax revenue in MA has grown an average of only 1% per year, and fluctuates massively year-to-year. Almost immediately after the funding structure change, there was a recession in 2001 after 9/11, wherein the sales tax revenue did not grow. Again in 2008, the recession hindered the sales tax revenue, which continued for several years. And again since 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing financial recession has decreased sales tax revenue and ridership (which led to a decrease in fare revenue too).
To make matters worse, the 2000 switch to sales tax revenue funding forced the MBTA to accrue debt. Anything that couldn’t be covered by sales tax revenue became debt in the past 22 years. Furthermore, while the state took on direct costs for the Big Dig, the debt to expand infrastructure all fell to the T (even though the Big Dig was primarily for the I-93 highway), and over $3.3 billion in transit debt was transferred from the state to the MBTA. The result of this catastrophic funding plan? The MBTA is now over $8 billion in debt. This means every year, the MBTA must prioritize paying the debt obligations (much of it isn't theirs) before investing in their workforce, repairs, and maintenance.
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The harms of privatizing a public service
There is also an ongoing pattern of Republican governors throwing money down the drain to private contractors in order to “fix” the MBTA. The "need" for privatization is the next step following austerity. Charlie Baker and his predecessors have set up the path to privatization by outsourcing contracts, the most recent abhorrent example being AFC 2.0, the project to “modernize” fare collection. While on the surface the modernization process of our fare collection services is a need, in reality the cost of AFC 2.0 is equivalent to simply making our bus system fare free… for nearly a decade. And this is an extremely popular idea: a MassINC poll from last month shows that 78% of respondents support making the MBTA and RTA buses free to ride.
Meanwhile, our transit infrastructure is crumbling and decrepit. Whether it’s service cuts, pulling new Orange and Red Line cars for mechanical issues, derailments, crashes, or even fatal safety failures, the MBTA is failing. The state of our public transit system is so alarming that the Federal Transit Authority intervened this spring to investigate the MBTA, a nearly unprecedented move for the federal agency.
At one point during the investigation, the FTA found that 80% of subway dispatchers had expired safety certifications. They also found that about 10% of the MBTA’s subway tracks are under speed restrictions due to defects, including a slow zone on the Orange Line tracks between the Tufts Medical Center and Back Bay Stations that has plagued commuters for years, and over 2 miles of Green Line track. The deferred maintenance and utter lack of regard for safety precautions in the upkeep of our transit system has dire consequences.
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Resuscitating the MBTA: The fight for funding, repairs, and free fares
If we want to not only save the MBTA but have a thriving public transit system, there are three immediate actions we must take. 1. Pass the Fair Share Amendment
The Fair Share Amendment is a change to the Massachusetts state constitution that would generate about $2 billion in yearly support for transportation and public education. The revenue would come from an additional tax on households with very high incomes—that’s why it’s also known as a “millionaire’s tax.”
The ballot question would create a 4 percent tax on annual income above $1 million and dedicate the funds raised to transportation and public education. So if you make $1,000,001 per year, you'll pay an additional 4 cents in taxes. Only people who earn more than $1 million annually will be impacted; 99% of us won’t pay a penny more. And we’ll all benefit from better schools, roads, bridges, and public transportation. |
2. Fight for progressive revenue
When I became a State Representative in 2020, my top choice for committee assignments was the Joint Committee on Revenue. As one of the wealthiest states in the wealthiest country on earth, we have the resources and ability to fully fund the MBTA, housing, food security, health care, and so many basic necessities for ourselves and our neighbors. What we lack is the political will to allocate funds.
Since being assigned to the revenue committee, I’ve worked tirelessly to build that will among my colleagues. It’s a slow sell, but I am proud to have been an instrumental part of removing the short term capital gains tax break that Governor Baker proposed in his revenue bill this year. The bill, which the House voted on last week, was Governor Baker’s wishlist of over $700 million in tax cuts, first filed back in January. While the House’s version of the bill no longer includes language to slash the capital gains tax, it does still include one big cut for the wealthy: slashing the estate tax by raising the threshold for who pays for the estate tax from $1 million to $2 million. As I shared last week, I tirelessly fought to save $130 million in annual revenues by making the estate tax change as progressive as possible. Tomorrow, the Senate will take up this bill and my amendment has been filed by Senator Edwards, Amendment #376. Please call your Senators and urge them to support this amendment.
We elected a Democratic supermajority to act as a check on our Republican governor, and I will continue fighting to ensure this bill preserves one of the most progressive revenues on wealth. We need to ensure the function and safety of our public services and communities before cutting taxes that will worsen wealth inequality and widen the racial wealth gap in the Commonwealth. 3. Elect a democratic governor
To be frank, I’m tired of hearing the phrase “reasonable Republican.” It’s simply been an oxymoron. To me, a reasonable person wouldn’t be privatizing essential public goods like the MBTA and leaving thousands of people behind. This November, we must elect a democratic governor who will proudly commit to fully funding the T. |
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Starbucks Workers on Strike!
This week I joined the picket line with striking Starbucks workers. After they unionized, workers were met with a new temporary manager who has treated workers with hostility and disrespect and denied adequate labor hours thereby forcing workers to skip breaks. Read their full list of demands here.
Join the picket line at 874 Commonwealth Ave. to show your support for the striking workers! It is a 24-hour picket (to stop deliveries to the store) sign up for a shift here. If you don't have time, please donate to their strike fund here.
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Door Knocking with Rep. Dr. Tami Gouveia, Candidate for Lt. Governor
This Saturday at 10am from 12C Warwick Street, we will be knocking doors with Rep. Tami Gouveia, candidate for Lt. Governor! Rep. Gouveia has been a strong ally in the fight for progressive values in the House. Please RSVP here! Hope to see you there! |
Canvass with Team Erika We will be launching canvasses to talk with neighbors about the most important issues they are facing in Somerville. This is critical work for me because your voice and your issue help drive my priorities in the State House. We are launching every Saturday and Sunday at 10am, hope to see you there!
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It is truly an honor to serve you all, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with your thoughts and questions, if you want to advocate for any bills, or need any help from government services. |
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