Tuesday, January 9, 2007

MBTA Debt Relief

Story in the Globe today about an effort to have the state assume $2.9 billion of the MBTA's $5 billion debt.

My only question: Why not more?

Actually, the number doesn't appear to have been drawn from thin air. The MBTA took a $2.9 billion charge seven years ago when the MBTA funding structure was changed.

I have written to the members of the Newton state legislative delegation (Senator Creem, Representatives Balser, Khan, and Koutoujian) for their positions on the proposal. I'll post their replies when I receive them.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Why not more?

Well, as some sort of a corporate and political hybrid (not sure where the line is drawn), the MBTA should be able to sustain itself without bailouts - or it should be made fully private.

Places in Europe can successfully privatize highways, so making money managing transit is certainly feasible.

And while we are at it - why should it take me an hour+ to "T" it from Brighton to Cambridge (a distance of about 6 miles)? Why isn't the entire green line wheelchair accessible (even just one of the Back Bay stops)? Why do the light rail lines stop at 12:30?