| | |  | BY KELLY GARRITY AND LISA KASHINSKY |
WE DIDN’T START THE TRACK FIRES — Delays, derailments, fires: The MBTA’s track record isn’t good. And that’s probably why the public transportation system has become such a political hot potato.
Former Gov. Michael Dukakis, a regular Green Line rider who helped expand the MBTA’s operations while in office, wouldn’t say who was responsible for allowing the system to run off the rails. But he insisted it wasn’t him. “I left the thing in pretty good shape,” he told Playbook last week after an event honoring his legacy. After that, he said, everything “seemed to just fall apart.” In some cases, literally . Others are more direct in their fault finding. House Speaker Ron Mariano laid some of the blame on former Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration, taking shots at the Republican’s former MBTA general manager, Steve Poftak, during last week’s House budget unveiling. Gov. Maura Healey, who took pains to steer clear of criticizing Baker while running to succeed him, also seemed to knock his team’s handling of the T during her State of the Commonwealth speech earlier this year, saying: “When we took office, the T was underfunded, poorly managed, and badly understaffed.” But the T’s troubles predate even Dukakis — and the finger-pointing over them has become something of a rite of passage for each administration that’s found itself saddled with the growing costs and backlog of repairs required to bring the MBTA up to speed. “You can go back 70 or 80 years, and the predecessor to the MBTA — [the MTA] — was going to state government asking for more resources to try to fix a system that was not working well and was not properly funded,” said Chris Dempsey, who led the advocacy group Transportation for Massachusetts and worked as a top transportation official under then-Gov. Deval Patrick. “This is not a new story.” Baker’s first months in office were consumed by the 2015 snowmageddon that shut down the T. And “Baker clearly pointed at the Patrick administration [during] that,” Dempsey said. “I was part of the early days of the Patrick administration, and we definitely pointed our fingers at the Weld, Cellucci and Romney administrations for having underfunded the T.” And yet, Healey’s MBTA steward, Phil Eng, remains relatively unscathed — and even has an online fan club — despite the T’s troubles still making headlines. Shutdowns continue to muck up commutes. Workers and riders still face safety issues . And now, the agency is getting slapped with a $158 million lawsuit alleging it violated the terms of a contract to install a new safety system.
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MBTA GM Phil Eng (left) and Gov. Maura Healey highlighting increased transportation funding earlier this year. | Joshua Qualls/Governor's press office courtesy photo | In fact, transit watchers have heaped praise on Eng in the year since he took charge of the T. Eng is “a real pro who knows stuff. He didn’t get the job politically,” Dukakis said last week. Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce CEO Jim Rooney, a former MBTA deputy general manager, back in February called Eng a “terrific appointment” who’s “focused on all the right areas." Eng also got a nod from Quincy Mayor Tom Koch , who chairs the MBTA advisory board, earlier this month . And Mariano layered it on last week, dubbing Eng a “train man” who “we feel is going to make an impact” — and backing up his vote of confidence by putting forward a budget plan that calls for a record investment in the MBTA. Dempsey suggested Eng has the power to keep setting a positive tone for the T because of it. Eng “is doing a very good job of that right now," Dempsey said, "and doing so on tough days.” GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. How do you think Phil Eng and the Healey administration are handling the T? Email us: kgarrity@politico.com and lkashinsky@politico.com . TODAY — Healey has no public events. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll speaks at the unveiling of the Lex250 Countdown at noon at Cary Memorial Hall. Auditor Diana DiZoglio attends the MassEquality Beacon of Light Gala at 6:30 p.m. in Natick. THIS WEEKEND — Driscoll, DiZoglio , Treasurer Deb Goldberg and Asian Caucus Chair state Rep. Tackey Chan speak at the AAPI Commission’s annual Unity Dinner at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at UMass Boston. SUNDAY SHOWS — Republican state Sen. Peter Durant is on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Democratic state Sen. Julian Cyr is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday.
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| DOLLARS AND SENSE — Tax collections over the first half of the month totaled $1.7 billion — about $23 million, or 1.4 percent, higher than during the same time period last year. But the state is hardly out of the woods yet. The Department of Revenue warned that comparisons to the first half of April 2023 are “not meaningful” because of “the significant fluctuations in daily collections” and because residents had two days after the report’s Monday cutoff to file their income taxes.
| | PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES |
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MUST READ! SERIOUS SOLUTIONS! — “Transportation secretary gives ‘unfiltered’ take on challenges,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Beacon: “Using frank language rarely heard on Beacon Hill, [Monica] Tibbits-Nutt … talked about how she would raise more money for transportation, with one option being the installation of toll gantries at the state’s borders with neighboring states. She promised to do more to address traffic fatalities by urging law enforcement to issue more speeding citations. And she said she would not support a layover facility for commuter rail trains as part of the I-90 Allston multimodal project, handing neighborhood activists a major victory.” — “WRTA vote: Free bus rides in Worcester to continue into 2025,” by Marco Cartolano, Telegram & Gazette: “WRTA buses are now budgeted as free for a fifth year, dating to the start of COVID-19. … [T]he authority is reporting increased ridership.”
| | KENNEDY COMPOUND |
| — “Kennedy family makes ‘crystal clear’ its Biden endorsement in attempt to deflate RFK Jr.’s candidacy,” by Zeke Miller, Will Weissert and Chris Megerian, The Associated Press: “Kerry Kennedy, a daughter of former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, niece of former President John F. Kennedy and sister of the current presidential candidate … never directly mentioned her brother, but insisted ‘there are only two candidates with any chance of winning the presidency’ this year, framing the campaign as a choice between Biden and Trump, with no room for a third party contender.”
| | YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS |
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tRUMP LUNACY! NO SCIENCE OR FACTS! TRUMP RESPONDS — Former President Donald Trump ’s campaign is firing back after Gov. Maura Healey blasted the presumptive Republican nominee for reportedly disparaging wind power to a room of fossil fuel executives . “President Trump does not need policy advice from failing Governor Maura Healy [sic] who has driven the Commonwealth of Massachusetts into a state of emergency because of her sanctuary city policies for illegal migrants,” Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to Playbook. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts is wading into this year’s state legislative races early by endorsing two “legislative champions” of abortion protections: state Sen. Cindy Friedman and state Rep. Aaron Michlewitz , the House budget chief. DOWN THE BALLOT — Yawu Miller of the Greater Boston News Bureau breaks down the big down-ballot contests taking shape in the Hub .
| | DAY IN COURT |
| JURIES TAKE SHAPE — The jury in Trump's criminal hush-money trial is set. But local attorneys are still selecting jurors in the Karen Read case .
| | FROM THE DELEGATION |
| — “Ed Markey says FCC net neutrality rules up for vote protect from ‘money gatekeepers’,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “A push to hand the federal government more power to regulate internet providers is key to national security and protecting consumers’ ability to surf the web without being blocked or ‘obstructed by money gatekeepers,’ U.S. Sen. Ed Markey said Thursday outside the U.S. Capitol.” — “Caitlin Clark’s WNBA salary has Massachusetts congresswomen calling for equal pay,” by Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald: “U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, the only former Division I woman athlete in Congress, took issue with how Clark is just making a ‘fraction’ of what NBA rookies earn, in an X post on Thursday. … U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark, D-5th District, initially voiced frustration over the pay gaps on social media Tuesday, calling for equal pay.” — “Bipartisan ire flares after POLITICO reveals Chinese Embassy's quiet TikTok lobbying,” by Anthony Adragna, POLITICO: “‘TikTok has no connection with China, I thought, so why would they do that?’ quipped Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), a member of the China panel. … The lobbying push will backfire, Auchincloss predicted, and the legislation will pass.”
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| | POLITICO IS BACK AT THE 2024 MILKEN INSTITUTE GLOBAL CONFERENCE: POLITICO will again be your eyes and ears at the 27th Annual Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles from May 5-8 with exclusive, daily, reporting in our Global Playbook newsletter. Suzanne Lynch will be on the ground covering the biggest moments, behind-the-scenes buzz and on-stage insights from global leaders in health, finance, tech, philanthropy and beyond. Get a front-row seat to where the most interesting minds and top global leaders confront the world’s most pressing and complex challenges — subscribe today . | | | | | | | THE LOWELL CONNECTOR |
| MIGRATING MIGRANTS — Several dozen migrant and homeless families are in the process of being moved from a hotel in Bedford to the Lowell Inn and Conference Center as part of the state’s efforts to “consolidate” shelters to better provide services to those staying in them. The Lowell Sun has more from a move-in day earlier this week .
| | THE LOCAL ANGLE |
| — “Scandal hits Gloucester waterfront ahead of busy summer season,” by Chris Burrell, GBH News: “This famed fishing port on the North Shore is awash in a waterfront scandal with allegations of office thievery uncovered by a hidden video camera, a forged signature and three city employees fired or resigning since March. The mayor ousting Gloucester’s harbormaster last week has divided city officials and residents.” — “Worcester Police Department launches unit to crackdown on gun violence,” by Adam Bass, MassLive: “As the number of violent shootings in Worcester continues to rise in 2024, the city’s police department has formed a new unit tasked with finding and seizing guns that have been used in violent shootings.” — “Attleboro City Council limits speakers to four minutes for committee sessions,” by George W. Rhodes, The Sun Chronicle.
| | MEANWHILE IN MAINE |
| — “Sweeping gun legislation approved by Maine lawmakers after deadliest shooting in state history,” by David Sharp, The Associated Press: “The Maine Legislature approved sweeping gun safety legislation including background checks on private gun sales, waiting periods for gun purchases and criminalizing gun sales to prohibited people. … The governor will sign [the] bill.”
| | HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH |
| HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to The Boston Globe’s Emma Platoff, Anya van Wagtendonk, Ron Kaufman, Graydon Moorhead, Kyle Grabowski and Arena’s Sydney Levin-Epstein . Happy belated to Jonathan Kaufman , who celebrated Thursday. HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to state Rep. Dan Hunt, Jessie Zimmerer, D.J. Beauregard, Colin Reed and Rob McLaughlin who celebrate Saturday, and to Sunday birthday-ers Ronia Stewart, Henry Brechter and Chuck Colbert. Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com . | |
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