Berkshires Asks For Fair Share of Transportation Budget
 State Rep. William 'Smitty' Pignatelli said any state gas tax should stay in the region it's collected. |
In particular, lawmakers highlighted deficiencies in public transportation on the western end of the state, and voiced resistance to the idea of further increases in gas taxation to bolster the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Boston's metropolitan transit system.
The committee heard testimony from Transportation Secretary Richard Davey on a variety of financial challenges, projects, and other issues inherent to MassDOT's 2013 budget needs.
"The government spending plan before you relies on continued reforms, targeted revenues, and tough cuts to close our budget gap," Davey said of Gov. Deval Patrick's proposed budget for 2013, including a $14.7 million gap proposed for DOT.
Davey said that despite recent reforms amounting to millions in savings or revenues, the department remained in a state of "fiscal crisis," most visibly seen in the reactions to proposed solutions to the MBTA budget gap. The metropolitan transit system is one of the state's largest funding burdens, already accounting for 16 percent of sales tax, its primary source of funding.
Discussion of the need to cover vast transportation costs touched upon an increase in the gas tax, a sore point in many parts of the state since Patrick proposed it in his first term. The 19-cent per gallon increase he proposed in 2009 was voted down in the Legislature, and renewed talk of increasing it over this past summer had lawmakers from both parties cautioning the governor against it.
Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier of Pittsfield pointed out to the transportation director that there may be a disconnect between the eastern and western parts of the state in their thinking about public transportation.
"The people from the larger urban districts, especially people in Boston, one of the things foremost on their mind are the issues of the MBTA. There have been hearings all over the area on that, there've been record crowds at those hearings. People are worried, people are upset ... and I have to tell you, people in the Berkshires don't know anything about that."
Indeed, as these proceedings were taking place in a sparsely attended meeting in Pittsfield, hundreds gathered in Waltham to protest MBTA service cuts and fare increases.
"The people of Pittsfield, the great majority, have never taken the T once in their lives," said Farley-Bouvier. "So the idea that there would be a gas tax increase to pay for the T, it doesn't seem at all fair to the people of the Third Berkshire District. It's really important that you take the needs of the entire state into consideration when you're trying to come up with a solution here."
 Rep. Tricia Farly-Bouvier reminded the transportation secretary that Berkshires residents rarely ride the T and shouldn't have to pay more gas taxes to support it. |
Pignatelli pointed to other transportation projects on this end of the state that could use that funding, including bridges. "We still have some very seriously deficient bridges throughout the Berkshires."
Davey told the local legislators that he was sympathetic to the issues of regional transportation in the Berkshires and to their concerns about tax burden associated with the MBTA.
"We will not only take it into consideration, we will take it to heart," he said in response to these concerns.
Massachusetts drivers currently pay 23 cents per gallon to the commonwealth at the pump, compared to a national average of 28.6 cents. Twenty-seven states pay a higher rate in gasoline taxes and fees.
Tags: gas tax, hearing, MBTA, transportation,
