State Rep Candidate George Boag on MBTA

In a letter to the editor this morning, George Boag makes some significant and meaningful points with regard to the problems at the MBTA.

Part of the narrative we have heard is that the MBTA was overburdened by debt from Big Dig mitigation proj­ects. This came about when the forward-funding system was implemented in 2001.

But that inherited debt was $1.7 billion. Since forward funding began the amount of debt has tripled to $5.2 bil­lion.

He then goes on to make recommendations for specific cuts, privatizations, and spinning off of some services to other state agencies.

His points are specific, and specify specific savings.

I think we should applaud a candidate who is doing the work of proving his abilities, and look forward to a response from the other candidates.

The MBTA is a key resource for a lot of people in our communities, and having the price drive everyone off of the system is not a direction I think we want to go.

Some price increases may be needed, as Boag points out, but spending cuts are necessary first.