Senator O’Leary Votes for Transportation Reform
Just two months after announcing its plans for a major overhaul of the state’s
transportation system, the Senate passed comprehensive reform legislation that consolidates multiple agencies into an independent authority.
“I commend the Senate President and my colleagues for putting together a comprehensive reform bill that will save the Commonwealth and my constituent’s money,” Said Senator Robert O’Leary (D-Barnstable). “I voted for this legislation and further amendments that I believe sends a strong message to the people of Massachusetts that reform before revenue is possible.”
The Senate bill eliminates the Turnpike Authority, streamlines communications, and creates a
more efficient and cost-effective system under a unifying agency called the Massachusetts
Surface Transportation Authority (MSTA), potentially saving the Commonwealth up to $6.5
billion over 20 years.
In the first two years of the Senate reform plan, The MSTA will see a surplus of $71.7 million in year one and $25.5 million in year two, based on reforms alone with no additional revenues attached. Under the new Authority, the current system is reduced to two divisions: Roads and Bridges; and Public Transit.
The Roads and Bridges Division assumes the duties of MassHighway, the Turnpike Authority,
the Tobin Bridge, and Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) parkways and bridges;
while the Public Transit Division assumes the duties of the MBTA and provides the Regional
Transit Authorities (RTAs) with central oversight and funding through the new Authority.
Transition to the MSTA will phase in over a three-year period, consolidating the Western
Turnpike, MassHighway and DCR parkways and bridges by July 1, 2009; the Metropolitan
Highway System, the Tobin Bridge and the RTAs by July 1, 2010; and the MBTA by July 1,
2011.
Senator O’Leary co-sponsored several amendments that were included in the Senate bill, including an amendment that would give the Inspector General Counsel, which includes the Attorney General and Inspector General as members, the authority to appoint the director of the Internal Special Audit Unit (ISAU). He believed this will create a more independent and more accountable unit. The ISAU is the body charged with internal review and oversight of the newly created Massachusetts Surface Transportation Authority.
Senator O’Leary also co-sponsored an amendment creating a trails and bikeways bureau within the division of roads and bridges. The bureau is charged with the task of constructing bikeways. And will provide more clarity and efficiency around the expansion of bikeways and paths in the Commonwealth.
The legislation also includes significant transparency and accountability measures, including:
• A special audit unit within MSTA to root out fraud, waste and abuse in Authority spending. The unit is authorized to refer matters to the state inspector general for further investigations;
• Improved fiscal scrutiny for major capital expansion projects (those with projected
construction costs greater than $25 million) by requiring a written finding that sufficient revenues will exist to operate the project;
• Use of the state fiscal year and the state’s accounting system;
• A ban on former employees from lobbying the Authority for one year;
• Restrictions on the use of outside consultants;
• Aligns the new Authority’s retirement policy with the state retirement system,
eliminating the MBTA’s “23 and out” and implementing “55 and
25”;
• Requiring that the cost of MBTA health care benefits will be no greater than those provided under the
GIC;
• Mandatory reporting requirements to the Legislature; and
• A requirement that employee salaries are counted as operating expenses, thereby ending
the Commonwealth’s practice of paying employee salaries from bond proceeds.
Massport is left untouched under the Senate restructuring bill and remains independent of the
MSTA because it is not a surface transportation agency and is responsible for, and specializes in,
aviation and the Port of Boston. Additionally, it does not use state money for its operations.
The bill now goes to the House for further action. |
