Higher Taxes for the MBTA

MBTA Spends Above the National Average

The tax-and-spend liberals are out in force demanding higher taxes for the MBTA.  They are blaming the lack of resources as the reason for the MBTA's failures.

Money is not the problem.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the MBTA's bus maintenance department spends 94% above the national average.  A Pioneer Institute report shows $250 million being wasted just within the bus maintenance department.

The T spent millions of dollars on a scheme to connect it with Connecticut before that state committed to the project.

The MBTA pension system is keep secret despite the taxpayers bailing it out.  Most of the other quasi-independent authorities do disclose their pension payouts.

On the road and bridge side of transportation, the Commonwealth spends $675,000 per mile on road and bridge maintenance.  That's four times the national average.  Our state spends $78,000 per mile on administration costs yearly.  That is eight times the national average.

All these facts seem to be missing from news story after news story on our transportation failures.

The Bonds assigned to the MBTA to finance billions in "Big Dig" costs by diverting ridership income only serves to make additional shortages larger.

Making the ability to operate the T far worse are proposals to enlarge to MBTA by expanding the trolley lines and stations and connecting them to the ancient 'core' facilities that were never designed to provide the patronage envisioned by proponents.  Legacy expansions of rail and trolley lines and stations may fulfill the fantasy of institutions, unions and advocates but they ignore the flexibility needed in the local Metro area which is better served by buses.

The Green-Line expansion which is expected to deliver patrons attending events connected to the proposed 2024 Olympics to sites on the Tufts campus will never meet the income needed to meet costs over the long-term by increasing ridership anywhere near the 20%  needed to operate trolley and commuter-rail side-by-side from West Medford to North Station.

Proposals quietly being considered to increase income to the T are additional charges on the 'Cherry Sheets'  to the local communities being served by the MBTA.