Bump Audit Finds MBTA Not Collecting or Reconciling Outstanding Balances

Bump Audit Finds MBTA Not Collecting or Reconciling Outstanding Balances

BOSTON, MA — An audit of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), released today by Auditor Suzanne M. Bump, found that the entity has left long overdue accounts receivable balances on their books without collecting them or writing them off as uncollectable. In total, $1,863,103 in funds due to the agency’s accounts receivable were more […]

Senate Republicans Call for MBTA Reforms 

Senate Republicans Call for MBTA Reforms 

BOSTON- May 18, 2015 Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester), flanked by members of the Senate Republican Caucus, called for strong reforms of the ailing MBTA transit system at a State House press conference today. Citing years of troubles stemming from lax fiscal controls and poor management practices, the entire membership of the State Senate […]

The MBTA: Avoiding Disaster

The MBTA: Avoiding Disaster

By: Oscar Camargo – April,. 2015 The MBTA has been under fire these past few months, but it’s been a disaster in the making for decades. This winter highlighted the depth of how badly the MBTA has been managed, but to simply lay blame on management would be a serious mistake. The chorus of leaders […]

Senate Republican Caucus Urges Gov. Baker to Take Public Transportation Action

Senate Republican Caucus Urges Gov. Baker to Take Public Transportation Action

Caucus Stands with the Administration in Seeking Solutions Boston- Expressing concern of the current state of the Commonwealth’s public transportation system, the Senate Republican Caucus sent a letter to Governor Charlie Baker today to urge him to take the necessary steps in improving Massachusetts’ public transportation system. “These past few weeks of arctic cold temperatures […]

The Ongoing Fight Against Tax Increases

By: State Senator Kathleen Ives – August, 2013 There has been some misinformation in the press about the Legislature’s recent vote to override Governor Deval Patrick’s veto of the Transportation Finance Bill. Some outlets are reporting that by fighting against the Governor on this veto, the legislature chose to raise the gas tax by 3 […]

Once Moderate on Taxes, Campbell Now Sticks it to State Tax Payers

  By D.J. Deeb – May, 2013 After 10 hours of debate on the evening of Monday, April 8, 2013, the Massachusetts State House of Representatives voted 97-55 to increase the current 21-cent-per-gallon state gas tax by 3-cents to 24-cents-per-gallon in 2015 and further indexing it to inflation each year following resulting in further gas […]

IN YOUR CORNER WITH SENATOR IVES – Let’s Get the Basics Right in Massachusetts!

By: State Senator Katy O’Connor Ives – April 2013   As the legislative session heads into the spring, there are a series of important issues facing the Commonwealth. I’m highlighting transportation funding and child safety in this column. As always, I welcome your thoughts on these and other issues. Trains, roads and taxes Beacon Hill […]

Reform Before Revenue

Reform Before Revenue

  By: State Senator Steven Baddour When I was the Senate Chairman of the Joint Committee on Transportation, I helped coin the phrase “reform before revenue” to describe an approach to transportation reform that sought to ensure that tax- and toll-payer money was being spent efficiently and effectively so that the Legislature didn’t pump new […]