The fate of the Bay State’s $8 billion plan to turn the MBTA around and shore up transportation infrastructure depends somewhat on the federal government choosing not to be “foolish” or “dumb” when it comes to allocating federal highway grants, according to 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 came in response to a question about the survival chances of her plan amidst a recalcitrant Trump Administration’s efforts to bring the states in line with presidential policy via the 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 said. “We’re going to continue to monitor everything.”
Healey’s transportation plan, as plugged by both Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt and Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, would theoretically spend the next 10 years investing in the Bay State’s road infrastructure, bridges, and regional transportation networks while simultaneously closing a looming gap in the MBTA’s budget and “putting it on a path of long-term stability,” all without raising taxes any further.
According to the Massachusetts Municipal Association, the plan represents “a game-changer for transportation infrastructure” that will impact every city and town in the state.
However, $1.2 billion of the plan relies on “Grant Anticipation Notes to borrow against future federal highway grants.” That means the plan hinges on the federal government not taking aim at highway grants along with all the other cuts proposed by the Trump Administration.
A spokesman for Healey’s Executive Office for Administration and Finance — the budget people — said that in order for Trump’s ongoing war with executive bloat to reach highway funding, they would have to cut funds to all of the states, not just Massachusetts. That’s a point 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 said.
The plan comes as the state faces off with the Trump Administration in court over an unresolved freeze to federal grants and loans ordered by Trump’s Office of Management and Budget, and after Trump’s new Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, announced massive cuts to the Department of Education directly impacting Massachusetts.
The state’s attorney general filed suit against the Trump Administration on Thursday over the proposed cuts to education department staffers, one of more than half a dozen the Bay State is now participating in or spearheading.
Despite the waves of cuts, Healey said she remains hopeful that the about $1.2 billion in funds already allocated or regularly approved for the states’ highways and bridges will continue to flow where they should.
“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 said.
Massachusetts annually receives about $1.1 billion from the Federal Highway Administration, according to the Department of Transportation.
