BOSTON — House Democrats are seeking hundreds of millions of dollars more for MBTA upgrades and workforce needs as part of their annual spending plan.
The House’s version of the budget unveiled Wednesday calls for spending what legislative leaders described as a “record” $555 million for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in the next fiscal year and an additional $184 million for regional transit systems that operate across the state.
House Speaker Ron Mariano said the “historic” level of spending “will allow the new leadership at the T to meet the immense challenges that they face head on.”
“Given the workforce recruitment and training challenges that have plagued the MBTA, I am particularly proud of the House’s proposal to establish an MBTA Academy that would help to bolster their workforce development efforts,” the Quincy Democrat said in a statement.
House leaders said the spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1 would be funded in part by revenue from the state’s new “millionaire’s tax,” a voter-approved law that set a 4% surtax on incomes above $1 million.
“Having a well-run transit system is critical to the success of the commonwealth,” House Committee on Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz, D-Boston, said in a statement. “This record amount of funding shows the House’s commitment to improving our transportation infrastructure in every area of the commonwealth.”
The House plan earmarks $314 million for direct operating costs at the MBTA, $184 million for the state’s 15 regional transit authorities, and $75 million for MBTA capital investments.
The plan also calls for spending $40 million to create an MBTA academy to oversee recruiting and training efforts, and create a pipeline for skilled workers.
An additional $20 million would be set aside for reduced fares for riders with low incomes, which was recently approved by the MBTA’s board of directors.
The low-income fare program is expected to cost $60 million a year and Gov. Maura Healey has proposed $45 million in funding from the “millionaire’s tax” in her fiscal 2025 budget proposal. Members of an advisory board that recommended approval of the plan also cautioned that the state does not have a dedicated source of funding.
The move to pump more taxpayer money into the state’s beleaguered public transit system comes as the MBTA wrestles with projected budget deficits driven by a mountain of debt, some dating back to the Big Dig project.
T officials estimate the transit agency’s operating deficit for the next fiscal year is $182 million, which is projected to grow to $859 million by 2029.
Meanwhile, the MBTA said it would need about $24.5 billion to bring the system into a state of “good repair” by replacing tracks, facilities, power equipment, trains and other infrastructure.
Healey attributes the deficit to a lack of investment in the system over decades and said she wants to make “transformative investments” to improve service and reliability. She touted $250 million in MBTA funding in her $56.1 billion budget proposal unveiled in January.
Lawmakers are expected to file hundreds of proposed amendments to the House’s spending package, the fate of which will be debated in closed-door leadership negotiations.
The budget would also need to be approved by the state Senate before heading to Healey’s desk for review.
Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at [email protected].
By Christian M. Wade | Statehouse Reporter
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