The destiny of the Bay State’s $8 billion plan to show the MBTA round and shore up transportation infrastructure relies upon considerably on the federal authorities selecting to not be “foolish” or “dumb” in terms of allocating federal freeway grants, in line with the governor.
Healey was in Somerville on Thursday to tour the MBTA Boston Engine Terminal as she continues on her “Transforming Transportation Roadshow” when she made the remarks, which got here in response to a query concerning the survival possibilities of her plan amidst a recalcitrant Trump Administration’s efforts to deliver the states according to presidential coverage by way of the federal government checkbook.
“It would be a really foolish and dumb thing to do to take away needed infrastructure funding for projects around this country,” Healey mentioned. “We’re going to continue to monitor everything.”
Healey’s transportation plan, as plugged by each Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt and Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, would theoretically spend the subsequent 10 years investing within the Bay State’s street infrastructure, bridges, and regional transportation networks whereas concurrently closing a looming hole within the MBTA’s finances and “putting it on a path of long-term stability,” all with out elevating taxes any additional.
In line with the Massachusetts Municipal Affiliation, the plan represents “a game-changer for transportation infrastructure” that can affect each metropolis and city within the state.
Nonetheless, $1.2 billion of the plan depends on “Grant Anticipation Notes to borrow against future federal highway grants.” Meaning the plan hinges on the federal authorities not taking goal at freeway grants together with all the opposite cuts proposed by the Trump Administration.
A spokesman for Healey’s Government Workplace for Administration and Finance — the finances folks — mentioned that to ensure that Trump’s ongoing struggle with government bloat to achieve freeway funding, they must reduce funds to the entire states, not simply Massachusetts. That’s a degree Healey made, too.
“It’s not a red state blue state issue; it affects the quality of life and livelihood of everyone around this country,” she mentioned.
The plan comes because the state faces off with the Trump Administration in courtroom over an unresolved freeze to federal grants and loans ordered by Trump’s Workplace of Administration and Price range, and after Trump’s new Secretary of Schooling, Linda McMahon, introduced large cuts to the Division of Schooling straight impacting Massachusetts.
The state’s lawyer normal filed swimsuit in opposition to the Trump Administration on Thursday over the proposed cuts to training division staffers, one among greater than half a dozen the Bay State is now taking part in or spearheading.
Regardless of the waves of cuts, Healey mentioned she stays hopeful that the about $1.2 billion in funds already allotted or repeatedly accepted for the states’ highways and bridges will proceed to move the place they need to.
“I continue to hope for federal partnership. You know, people gotta realize that federal funding is incredibly important to states all over this country for any number of things. For healthcare — look at Medicaid — for transportation, and infrastructure. So, we’re going to continue to hope that the moneys that have been already obligated are delivered to the state and we’ll continue to evaluate things,” she mentioned.
Massachusetts yearly receives about $1.1 billion from the Federal Freeway Administration, in line with the Division of Transportation.
