MMA asks Transportation Committee to support bond bill with expansive transportation and climate funding

The Honorable William Straus, House Chair
The Honorable Brendan Crighton, Senate Chair
Joint Committee on Transportation
State House, Boston

Delivered Electronically

Dear Chair Straus, Chair Crighton, and Members of the Committee,

First, on behalf of the cities and towns of the Commonwealth, the MMA wishes to extend our deep appreciation to you and your colleagues on the Committee for moving swiftly to advance the Chapter 90 bond bill, enabling the House to engross the bill in March. We thank you for supporting the important expansions in the legislation, which were incorporated in the House-adopted version, adding $150 million in new authorizations for important programs, including the Small Bridge Program, Complete Streets, and municipal enhancements for bus and mass transit connectivity. We hope the measure continues to move swiftly through the process and reaches the Governor’s desk as soon as possible.

We also appreciate your intent to fast-track the underlying $200 million Chapter 90 authorization, and your goal of advancing further authorizations to build on this after reviewing the underlying formula to ensure equity. As you know, the MMA’s request is to bring Chapter 90 to $300 million as soon as possible, and we offer any assistance and input you need to move forward in that direction, which we hope will happen during this legislative session. We look forward to working constructively with you on this essential issue.

Also, we would like to take this opportunity to applaud your leadership in securing passage of the $100 million appropriation for municipal winter recovery funds to support the immediate needs of local roads that have been battered by New England weather. Climate change is crumbling our roadways, and these are important funds that will be put to great use right away.

Regarding H. 4561, An Act Relative to Massachusetts’ Transportation Resources and Climate, the MMA respectfully asks you to issue a favorable report.

This bill will unlock and leverage the expansive federal funding opportunities made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including critical funding for regional transit authorities and the MBTA, expansion of the state’s overall transportation capital program capacity, and over $3.5 billion to facilitate fast action to apply for federal discretionary and competitive grants.

With the unprecedented federal resources that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law offers, Massachusetts can use and leverage these funds to trigger rapid and sweeping improvements in our transportation system, which will in turn build a healthier and more sustainable and resilient economic recovery in every region of our state. Our cities and towns look forward to working with you as partners to make this happen.

If you have any questions about this measure or any other issue, please do not hesitate to have your office contact me, MMA Legislative Director Dave Koffman at dkoffman@mma.org, or MMA Legislative Analyst Adrienne Núñez at anunez@mma.org at any time.

We thank you very much for your dedication, commitment, and support for the cities and towns of Massachusetts.

Sincerely,

Geoffrey C. Beckwith
MMA Executive Director & CEO

Cc:
The Honorable Ronald Mariano, Speaker of the House
The Honorable Karen Spilka, Senate President
The Honorable Aaron Michlewitz, Chair, House Committee on Ways and Means
The Honorable Michael Rodrigues, Chair, Senate Committee on Ways and Means