bostonpatriot

It is being reported that under Governor Deval Patrick’s proposal the new “Massachussetts Transportation Authority” or “MassTrans” for short would be put in charge of all of the State’s surface transportation spending. The quasi independent Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, along with MassHighway, the MBTA, the Tobin bridge and DCR controlled roadways and bridges would all fall under this new agency.

Promoted as an attempt to centralize administration and reduce redundancy and waste, it differs from previous Governors’ attempts to dismantle the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority. This plan would create a new authority in the Turnpike Authority’s place with its own board of directors appointed by the governor, but would themselves set policy. It is unclear just how much autonomy and independent authority this new authority board might be given.

Would they retain the taxing and bonding power of the Turnpike? And would they be given the power to raise other taxes like the gas tax or impose a mileage surcharge?

Eliminating the long criticized patronage laden bureaucracy of the Turnpike Authority and MBTA and creating a single more professional agency would be welcome to many who have long criticized those organizations. But replacing those agencies with a single monolithic “Authority”, with an appointed but still independent board with the power to raise taxes and which is removed from direct accountability to the voters, seems like a solution that resembles the problem.