Baker Files $74M Bill to Address Transportation, Infrastructure & Education Needs

Baker Files $74M Bill to Address Transportation, Infrastructure & Education Needs

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker filed a $74.2 million budget bill to address transportation, infrastructure and education needs in the state.

The bill includes $18 million to support MBTA infrastructure and safety investments, $10 million for school improvements and $4.2 million for investments in clean drinking water.

“This legislation will provide additional resources to enhance the safety of MBTA infrastructure, improve local schools and support testing for PFAS contamination in drinking water supplies. We look forward to working with the Legislature to pass this bill into law and deliver these much-needed investments,” said Baker.

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These proposals were previously included in bills filed by the administration for the Fiscal Year 2019 and are now being refiled for the Fiscal Year 2020.

The Bill

The bill provides the MBTA with $18 million, which, with the $32 million authorized in the FY19 final supplemental spending bill, allows for a total of $50 million to support additional staff, contractors and other resources necessary to expedite the completion of critical capital projects, enable proactive inspections to detect and address safety and reliability issues before they impact service, and implement enhanced maintenance procedures to ensure the reliable operation of MBTA vehicles and infrastructure. 

The bill authorizes $4.2 million to test drinking water supplies for potential polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination. 

This testing will support state and local efforts to determine the scope of the problem and to identify best solutions, and supplements the $4.2 million authorized in the FY19 final supplemental bill.

The bill also proposes transferring $10 million to the Twenty-First Century Education Trust Fund. This request reframes Governor Baker’s 2018 recommendation that the Legislature transfer $50 million into a fund for school improvement.