In several public statements since Nov. 4, Gov.-elect Charlie Baker has repeated his pledge to release $100 million in Chapter 90 authorizations as one of his first actions after taking office in January.

“There’s plenty of work to be done, and cities and towns really need this funding,” Baker told the Salem News on Nov. 16.

Back in January, Baker told the MMA’s Annual Meeting that he would immediately release the $100 million in local road funds, which was authorized by the Legislature in a transportation bond bill but withheld by the Patrick administration.

A $300 million Chapter 90 authorization for fiscal 2015 was included in a $13 billion transportation bond bill. The amount matches the fiscal 2014 authorization passed the previous year. The Patrick administration has released just $200 million in both years.

The release of the full $300 million has been a major point of contention between the Legislature and the governor, with lawmakers siding with local officials in support of releasing the full amount. Rep. William Straus, the House chair of the Transportation Committee, stated when the bond bill was passed last session that the Legislature would continue to support $300 million for Chapter 90. He also pointed out that the full authorization would stay in place so that the new governor could release the full amount.

A statewide survey conducted by the MMA two years ago documents that cities and towns would need to spend $562 million each year to maintain local roads in a “state of good repair,” the industry standard, but communities spend far less due to inadequate resources.

The MMA is currently compiling the results from an updated local road funding needs survey, which will be used to document the need for a $300 million annual authorization for Chapter 90 in a multi-year bill.

The MMA will continue to strongly advocate for sufficient funding for transportation infrastructure, which is critical to quality of life and economic development in Massachusetts. The transportation revenue stream took a hit on Nov. 4, when voters repealed a provision in state law to automatically adjust the gas tax for inflation, removing an estimated $1 billion in revenue over the next 10 years.
 

+
+