Today, the House and Senate voted to send the final FY2016 legislative budget to Governor Baker. Transportation for Massachusetts thanks the Conferees and the Legislature as a whole for their hard work throughout a complex budget process.

By Kristina Egan and Tony Dutzik

(Originally published at MASSterList)

The debate over Gov. Baker’s proposed MBTA overhaul has been loud and often heated. Supporters and opponents have taken to the airwaves – and even the streets – with vigorous arguments about privatization, union rights and governance of the agency.

One part of the governor’s plan, though, has attracted less attention: the proposed lifting of the two-year-old cap on MBTA fare hikes. 

The state legislature is now considering Governor Baker's MBTA reform legislation. The bill goes beyond the MBTA, and involves all transportation, in communities all across the commonwealth.  Whether you take the T, drive, ride a regional bus, walk or cycle, this legislation matters to you. Please take action today to ask your State Representative and House leaders to support key priorities. 

As we have learned over the years, transportation investment matters to everyone: workers and businesses. Boston and the Berkshires. Cyclists and walkers, truckers and drivers, students and professionals.  If you live or work in Massachusetts, you have a reason to take action on this legislation.

Transportation for Massachusetts thanks the Joint Committee on Transportation for continuing the important process of MBTA reform initiated by Governor Baker, while maintaining vital funding for the MBTA and statewide transportation, preserving responsible fare increases for MBTA riders, and providing new budgeting tools for Regional Transit Authorities.  

After an exhaustive search with many qualified candidates, Transportation for Massachusetts is pleased to announce the hiring of Charlie Ticotsky as our new Advocacy Director, effective Wednesday, July 8. 

Attracting talent, fostering creativity, and building brand among factors outined in new national survey

Hundreds of American companies, including dozens in Massachusetts, see unique competitive advantages to being located in a walkable downtown neighborhood. These locations are helping companies attract and retain talented workers, build their brand and corporate identity, support creative collaboration, be closer to partners, consolidate operations, and support triple-bottom line business outcomes.

A new report released today outlines that Boston’s Olympic bid offers a unique opportunity to create new neighborhoods, build more housing, improve transportation infrastructure, generate short- and long-term jobs, and increase tourism in the Boston region. But the report says this can happen only if Boston 2024, the Commonwealth, the City of Boston, and neighboring municipalities establish a coordinated planning process that focuses on the “legacy impacts” of the Games – the long-term, regional benefits that will last beyond 2024. 

The report was issued jointly by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance (MSGA), and Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA). 

The debate around fixing the MBTA continues on Beacon Hill, with members of the House and Senate meeting this month to reach a compromise. Please call your State Representative and State Senator today and leave this simple message:

Please keep MBTA fares affordable and preserve funding for the statewide transportation system as well as the MBTA. 

We applaud Governor Baker for announcing the MBTA Winter Resiliency Plan and see this as a good step in improving reliability for MBTA riders.  The proposed $82.7 million plan will provide new infrastructure, equipment and operations to help keep the MBTA running during winter weather by focusing on the most critical points of failure experience in the winter of 2015.

Transportation matters to everyone. It's how we move employees, students, goods, customers and visitors. We can't take it for granted. We have to work for the transportation future we need: reliable, affordable, accessible, healthy and convenient.

In that spirit, a warm welcome to our newest coalition members: we are pleased to work alongside the New England Venture Capital Association, TransitMatters, the New Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce and Massachusetts Association for Community Action (MassCAP) as we move Massachusetts forward to a strong future served by great transportation choices.