Patrick, Lawmakers Stake Turf On Transit Plans
After hearing Gov. Deval Patrick threaten to veto what he called a "pretend fix" to the state's transportation system deficiencies, House Speaker Robert DeLeo defended the Democratic legislative leadership's proposal to raise $500 million in new taxes as a plan that, unlike the governor's, spares the middle class from a major tax hike.
"Just the contrary, what this plan does actually is to make sure we're taking care of or addressing the issue of transportation while at the same time not putting a bigger burden on families or business that the governor's plan would put on," DeLeo said this week.
Patrick, at a press conference, panned the Democratic leadership's transportation plan as inadequate and "not fair" to residents outside Greater Boston who will be asked to pay more in gas and cigarette taxes for what he predicted would be another short-term solution to budget and debt problems at the MBTA and Department of Transportation.
"Let's be clear. The leadership proposal taxes the middle class," Patrick said, later adding, "It's a fiction to claim somehow this bill avoids new taxes."
Patrick called the plan from DeLeo and Senate President Therese Murray "too small" to make the improvements required around the state, including the Interstate 91 viaduct through Springfield from which concrete came loose Wednesday, causing major traffic delays.
"The I-91 viaduct is falling apart. The fact that it's falling apart is not a surprise. It's falling apart because we haven't taken care of it," Patrick said, blaming a Beacon Hill culture and "administration after administration" that has been unwilling to tackle the long-term funding problem.
He also reiterated that the proposal from House and Senate leaders provides no funding for education, for capital expansion projects like the MBTA's Green Line extension that the governor said are important to economic development, or for improvements to the existing system like replacing deteriorating Orange and Red Line cars or regional transit buses.
"They're going to get all the blowback from a tax vote and none of the benefit and it's important for the public to see that. It's important for members to see that. And if that's the choice they want to make, I'm not going to play that game," Patrick said.
As Senate Democrats caucused for hours behind closed doors to discuss the transportation bill, DeLeo showed little interest in slowing down the process or returning to the negotiating table with Patrick to find a middle ground that the governor said he still believes is within reach.
House Debate Set For Monday
He said the House still intends to debate the bill on Monday, and he will know more after the vote whether there is enough support in the House to sustain Patrick's promised veto. According to a State House source, DeLeo began calling on members after Patrick's press conference to ask for their support, including progressive Democrats sympathetic to the governor's proposal.
Patrick said he, Murray and DeLeo have talked privately about a "couple different alternatives" to the size of the revenue package and the means of collecting it, but admitted he did most of the talking.
"To come up with this plan is just not serious and to say it's a plan, to say it's a solution, is just not serious and I'm not going to play that game. I'm still here. I'm still engaged. I'm still willing to talk about compromise," Patrick said.
After Murray suggested Wednesday that Patrick administration predictions of fare, fee and toll hikes under the legislative leaders' plan was "spin," DeLeo backed up her up. "There's no need to raise fares," DeLeo said, clarifying, "I can't say forever. No one could ever say forever."
The speaker did not directly address Patrick's critique that the House bill does not provide enough new revenue to ensure that the MBTA and MassDOT wouldn't be in a similarly difficult financial situation six years from now. "The fiscal woes, the transportation woes that we presently are concerned about, will be alleviated," DeLeo said.
Patrick conceded that DeLeo and Murray will be able to pass their smaller financing package if they want to, but said in an interview that he does not want to be associated with it.
"If we're actually going to try to get a deal that we all can believe in and that is a permanent fix, then they need to respond to my interest in trying to find some place in the middle. If they don't, then they will have made their choice and they know what I will do," Patrick said.
When asked whether the Legislature was treating him as a lame duck (the governor does not plan to seek a third term next year) Patrick said, "No. No. I don't think so. That would be a mistake."
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