WCVB-TV
BOSTON- A member of Massachusetts’ congressional delegation expressed opposition to some of the cost-cutting measures under consideration by the MBTA.
Rep. Stephen Lynch appeared alongside Mayor Marty Walsh at Faneuil Hall on Monday morning and spoke at length about the funding coming to Boston and to the state of Massachusetts as a result of the passage of the American Rescue Plan, President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus program.
Lynch said he has spoken with MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak about a developing plan to furlough about 40 conductors on the Commuter Rail system.
“I have to say, on behalf of the delegation, that is not consistent with our intent here. We’re providing all this money — and this is taxpayer money, mind you — we’re providing taxpayer money to the MBTA to provide services to the taxpayer. We are in total opposition to the reduction in services, to the laying off of employees, to the furloughing of employees,” he said.
The congressman said the MBTA will receive about $1 billion in support from the American Rescue Plan.
“They’re going to take the $1 billion and then lay people off, I don’t think so. Or they’re gonna take the $1 billion and then leave people stranded. That doesn’t work for us,” he said.
Lynch, a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, also suggested that a lack of cooperation from the MBTA could hurt the state’s prospects in the negotiation of an upcoming transportation bill.
“We’re going to have some hard discussions with the MBTA and with the governor,” Lynch said. “We hope that more thoughtful ideas would emerge from those discussions”
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