Top Democrats in the Massachusetts House are planning to go big on transportation in next year’s state budget.
House leaders will unveil their full annual spending plan for the fiscal year that starts this July on Wednesday, but they previewed a major boost they’ll propose in transportation funding.
Their budget bill will seek a total of $555 million for the MBTA, which House Speaker Ron Mariano’s office said represents “the largest investment in the MBTA by the House of Representatives in an annual budget.” The House budget will also include $184 million for regional transit authorities across the state.
In all, the budget produced by the House Ways and Means Committee will propose a 41% increase in transportation spending over this year’s budget, according to Mariano’s office. The spending will be backed up with both money from the state’s general fund and revenue from the state’s extra tax on incomes over $1 million.
At a time when the state has been facing a revenue squeeze and continued high levels of spending on the state’s overwhelmed emergency shelter system threatens to crowd out other budget priorities, top House Democrats say it’s still crucial to invest in transit.
“Ensuring that the Commonwealth is equipped with a safe and reliable public transportation system is critical for the prosperity of our residents and communities, and will be vital in our future efforts to grow the economy,” Mariano said in a statement.
The T funding will include $20 million for a new reduced fare for low-income riders and $65 million for projects that address safety concerns flagged in a Federal Transit Administration inspection.
The House is also proposing a pair of new initiatives. A $35 million “Resilient Rides” program would support climate adaptation at stations in areas vulnerable to climate change, and a $40 million “MBTA Academy” would help recruit and train new employees amid a workforce shortage at the transit agency.
When Gov. Maura Healey filed her $58 billion version of the state budget in January, she also signed an executive order creating a new Transportation Funding Task Force. She directed that panel to develop a long-term and sustainable finance plan to support the state’s road, rail and transit systems.
House lawmakers plan to start their budget debate, which typically spans multiple days, on Wednesday, April 24. The Senate will release and debate its own budget bill in May.
