Middleboro Review 2: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Phil Eng spills the T

Monday, November 27, 2023

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Phil Eng spills the T

BY LISA KASHINSKY , KELLY GARRITY AND MIA MCCARTHY

‘THE T IS DOING BUSINESS DIFFERENTLY’ — Phil Eng wants to rebuild riders’ trust in the MBTA. But first he has to rebuild the transit system — literally.

Swaths of the Green Line shut down today for tunnel and rail work. That includes nighttime service suspensions on the Green Line Extension to fix tracks that are too narrow for trains to safely go full speed — a stunning failure reportedly known as far back as April 2021 and seemingly ignored by the T until Eng took over as general manager.

“We’re working very closely with the design team to put that in the rearview mirror,” Eng told Playbook. “Our goal is to go through every project, openly and transparently. If there are issues to address, let’s put them on the table and let’s tackle them as soon as we know them and not let them linger. And I think that’s a culture shift that we’re trying to instill.”

Eng has lofty goals for the T: clearing all slow zones by the end of next year; hiring more workers (he’s already met Gov. Maura Healey’s goal of hiring 1,000 this year); improving the transit authority’s internal and external communications; and winning back riders lost to telework and because the system is unreliable. And his optimism about achieving them appears unshaken by the sheer magnitude of the growing list of problems he’s pledging to fix.

“We're rebuilding the organization to a can-do organization, to one that solves problems, and one that thinks outside the box,” Eng said. “The T is doing business differently."

But Eng's progress could stall without more money. The T is facing a staggering $24.5 billion price tag to bring its aging equipment and facilities into a state of “good repair.” It’s also bracing for a potentially several-hundred-million-dollar budget shortfall .

Eng pointedly wouldn’t put a number on how much more money he wants from the Legislature. "I don’t expect $24.5 billion tomorrow. And if someone were able to provide us with those types of numbers, we couldn’t spend that kind of money in a single year anyway,” he said. But having a “long-term, sustainable funding source” can better help the T plan its improvement projects, he said.

Here are a few more excerpts from Playbook’s interview with Eng , edited and condensed for length:

MBTA GM Phil Eng (second from left) is undertaking the daunting task of trying to turn around the beleaguered transit system. | AP

You’re awaiting the results of Boston’s fare-free bus pilot program. Do you think the T can be free if you need ridership revenue to pay for the fixes you’re trying to make?

Safe, reliable and robust service is what will bring people back. Just making sure that they are getting what they deserve and it's affordable is important. As far as free fares in the future and reduced fares, those are all conversations that have to be had at a much higher level.

Would you say that safety outweighs lowering the cost of fares?

Absolutely. Safety is the No. 1 important priority. If it’s not safe, regardless of the cost, I would not expect anybody to be using the system. And I will not even ask my employees to operate the system if it’s not safe.

Does anyone give you a hard time for being a Mets fan?

I think it would be worse if I was a Yankees fan.

GOOD MONDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . We hope you had a great Thanksgiving! And we hope you didn't watch that Patriots game. Oof.

TODAY — Healey is on GBH’s “Boston Public Radio” at noon. Rep. Lori Trahan visits Family Services of the Merrimack Valley in Lawrence at 10 a.m. and announces federal funding at Haverhill’s Bradford fire station at noon.

Tips? Scoops? Birthdays? Email us: lkashinsky@politico.com , kgarrity@politico.com and mmccarthy@politico.com .

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MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS

CATCH UP — A work-permit clinic for migrants resumes today while critical funding for the emergency family shelter system that’s housing them remains tied up in the Legislature.

Pressure is rising on lawmakers to settle their differences over a $2.8 billion supplemental budget that includes $250 million for the shelter system and raises for thousands of state workers.

Housing Secretary Ed Augustus said “we desperately need” the shelter money on WCVB’s “On the Record.” And Republican lawmakers who hold unusual power over the fate of the spending bill are pressing House and Senate negotiators to start moving the collective bargaining agreements forward even if a deal on the broader bill isn’t done.

Meanwhile, families who are on the waitlist for emergency housing are still staying in converted conference rooms at a state transportation building. MBTA general manager Phil Eng told Playbook that he will “continue to be as supportive as I can” as the state seeks longer-term solutions for families in need.

Augustus cast the setup as a “short-term bridge” until more community and faith-based groups open temporary overnight shelter sites through the United Way of Massachusetts Bay’s grant program. Catholic Charities Boston opened a site last week and Augustus said more are on the way “soon.”

— “Massachusetts National Guard teaming up with state, nonprofits to provide winter clothing to migrants,” by Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald: “Officials expect the effort to serve roughly 94 hotel sites and 71 traditional shelters and scattered sites, reaching 9,000 children.”

— “Democratic cities brace for a nightmare winter housing migrants,” by Shia Kapos, Lisa Kashinsky and Katelyn Cordero, POLITICO: “Northern cities and states that have been overwhelmed by a surge in migrants are now out of room to house them just as the weather turns cold — a potentially life-threatening situation that’s inflaming local political tensions as the Biden administration largely leaves these Democratic strongholds to fend for themselves.”

DATELINE BEACON HILL

— “ Digging into fine print of salary range legislation, ” by Bhaamati Borkhetaria, Commonwealth Beacon: “A bill requiring employers to disclose salary ranges on all their job postings is making its way through the Massachusetts Legislature, but a check with other states that have gone this route suggests the law may not be the huge breakthrough its sponsors are hoping for nor the terrible burden employers have complained about.”

— “ Student Opportunity Act still lacks accountability, data, reports claim ,” by Eden Mor, Greenfield Recorder: “Now, four years into the implementation of the SOA, experts like Jamie Gass at Pioneer Institute, a public policy research center, suggest that the state of education in Massachusetts is on the precipice of chaos, partially due to some of the act’s failings.”

— “ Lawmakers are pushing to revitalize cultural districts across Mass. ” by Lindsay Schachnow, Boston Business Journal.

FROM THE HUB

KEEP IT CIVIL — Fresh off saying she has the votes to become the next Boston City Council president — and being anonymously accused by two of her colleagues of being unprofessional about it — Ruthzee Louijeune issued a call for civility on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large.” When the council resets in January, it’s “incredibly important that we continue to set a tone of collegiality,” she said.

— “At Mass. and Cass, Boston health commission puts millions toward private security,” by Sean Cotter, Boston Globe: “They have been fixtures over the last two years in the thick of the open drug market known as Mass. and Cass: armed, uniformed guards and their marked vehicles patrolling for signs of violence or property damage. … They are members of a private security force that the Boston Public Health Commission has contracted to help secure the area — at a cost of more than $2.3 million this calendar year alone.”

— “BPD report states officer driving Mayor Wu ‘did contribute’ to June crash,” by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe.

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BIDEN TIME

People react as President Joe Biden walks by as he visits local shops with family in Nantucket, Mass., Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) | AP

MEANWHILE, ON NANTUCKET — President Joe Biden continued his tradition of celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday on Nantucket, spending the weekend lunching with his family and shopping.

But it was not a quiet and quaint vacation . Biden had multiple national security briefings on Friday as the first group of hostages was released by Hamas, the Associated Press reports . Pro-Palestinian protesters also interrupted the president’s events around the island , including on his way to a family lunch and during a Christmas tree lighting.

Elsewhere in Massachusetts, members of the state's congressional delegation lauded the temporary truce and ongoing hostage exchange between Hamas and Israel, and called in statements for the cease-fire to be extended. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey and House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark also urged progress toward a two-state solution.

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— "Balance of power poised to flip on Everett School Committee after election," by Niki Griswold, Boston Globe: "Just weeks after a municipal election that unseated or rejected most of [Mayor Carlo DeMaria's] candidates for the School Committee, the lame-duck board is poised to appoint a new superintendent to replace the one he and his allies had forced out earlier this year despite objections from members of the school community.

— “Milton Select Board votes to take down Israeli flag after intense debate among residents,” by Peter Blandino, Patriot Ledger: “On Nov. 14, a diverse group of citizens called Milton Residents for Palestinian Rights asked that the Palestinian flag be displayed alongside the Israeli flag. The board had voted unanimously to display the Israeli flag Oct. 8, the day after the Hamas attack on Israeli civilians.”

— "Suspect arrested in shooting of 3 Palestinian college students in Vermont, police say," by Elizabeth Wolfe, Sara Smart and Celina Tebor, CNN.

MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

— “How Dean Phillips could change the electoral math for Republicans in New Hampshire,” by Lisa Kashinsky, POLITICO: “Dean Phillips isn’t likely to hurt Joe Biden in New Hampshire. But his entry into the Democratic primary could spoil Nikki Haley and Chris Christie’s electoral math here. The two Republicans are polling better than any other candidate with New Hampshire independents who are likely to pull a GOP ballot in the state’s open presidential primary. … But by challenging Biden, Phillips gave those voters another choice.”

— “NH weathering Mass. sports betting blitz,” by Michael Cousineau, Union Leader: “For every full month since Massachusetts mobile sports betting went live March 10, New Hampshire saw fewer total dollars wagered but often garnered higher gross gaming revenues than the same month the previous year.”

HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH

CALLING HOURS — For former MassDems leader John Walsh are from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at SEIU 1199 in Quincy. A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. tomorrow in the Great Hall at Faneuil Hall.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Catherine Carlock of the Boston Globe and Andy Hoglund .

NEW HORSE RACE ALERT: OOPSGIVING — Would it even be Thanksgiving if we didn’t serve you up a blooper reel? Thank you to our loyal listeners. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and SoundCloud .

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