Less than a month after becoming the longest-serving House speaker in Massachusetts history, Robert DeLeo successfully shouldered the titanic task of pushing a major transportation spending bill through the House a day after approving a plan to provide up to $600 million annually to pay for Massachusetts’ transportation improvements.
Included in Thursday’s transportation bill vote was a $2.4 billion mega-amendment, as the State House News Service described it,
expanding the money allocated for rail improvement from $80 million to $400 million.
A huge chunk of the underlying bill, $5.6 billion, is for federal highway system projects, with $1.75 billion more carved out for the design, construction and repair of non-federally-aided roadway and bridge projects, and another $1.25 billion for construction, resurfacing, and improvements of bridges and approaches.
A $2.3 billion train-system-modernization initiative in the bill includes language requiring funds to be spent on implementing improvements tied to the Blue Line extension to Charles/MGH station, and for the design and construction of a commuter rail station at Wonderland Park in Revere on the Newburyport and Rockport line, the News Service reported.
Laser focus by House members on transportation is proof DeLeo knows the problems that need fixing in Massachusetts and he has the political will and acumen to start getting the work done.
The Winthrop Democrat realizes the commuting burden imposed on North Shore drivers. He talks to constituents who endure MBTA breakdowns and delays. He listens to House colleagues, including Sen. Brendan Crighton and state reps. Dan Cahill, Peter Capano, Lori Ehrlich, Tom Walsh and Donald Wong, who talk about the problems plaguing local roadways.
DeLeo was not afraid to stand with House members and vote to increase the state gasoline tax by five cents on Wednesday. He was not afraid to stare down the state Senate and Gov. Charlie Baker, who are not committed to making tough transportation funding decisions like increasing the gas tax.
The House under DeLeo’s leadership was not afraid this week to take aim at businesses in order to raise money for transportation projects. Wednesday’s vote creates new corporate taxes requiring companies with $1 billion or more of sales to pay at least $150,000.
DeLeo told The Item in February that transportation is not a one-and-done issue in Massachusetts but ” …something we’re constantly working on.”
The fruits of that labor paid off this week and we hope the governor and the state Senate will match the courage and conviction demonstrated by the House under DeLeo’s guidance.
