“I applaud Governor Baker for filing a comprehensive bill that seeks to implement many of the recommendations included in his Special Panel’s report on the MBTA.
There is no question that the MBTA must undergo a complete transformation in the way it operates to ensure that it can maintain long-term fiscal stability and deliver safe and reliable services to its riders. This bill provides a clear roadmap for achieving these goals, including the implementation of 1- and 5-year operating budgets and 5- and 20-year capital spending plans; the removal of costly restrictions on contracting for services imposed by the Pacheco Law; the development of an evidence-based, long-range approach to system expansion; and the creation of a temporary Fiscal and Management Control Board to get the MBTA back onto a solid financial footing.
It is critical that these reforms be put into place without delay, and I intend to work closely with the Baker Administration to do everything I can to help move the bill through the legislative process as quickly as possible.”
