Provost on MBTA: 'We Will Have Another Crisis Next Year'

Somerville state Rep. Denise Provost, speaking about the in order to close a $161 million budget deficit, said, "We will have another crisis next year," even after the cuts and fare hikes.

Provost spoke with Somerville Patch Friday in Davis Square.

The MBTA is about $8.6 billion in debt, is making about $450 million each year in debt payments, a number that rises every year, and has about $3 billion worth of maintenance it needs to conduct on the existing system.

About $1.67 billion of the T's debt comes from the Central Artery/Tunnel Project—the Big Dig.

Provost said even if the state took the Big Dig debt off the MBTA's books, "it just shifts the problem." 

There may be solutions to the MBTA's difficulties, but "they all involve revenue," she said.

However, "The legislature has not been keen to do anything that could be construed as a tax increase in general. The legislature has not revisited the question of new revenue for transportation … for a long time," Provost said.

She added the state is facing broader transportation challenges, encompassing highways, bridges and more.

"I think we need to employ several solutions. Raising revenue has to be part of the solution. Equity has to be part of the solution," she said.

Provost said raising the gas tax and seeking permission to toll the Central Artery should be part of that discussion.

She said she hopes the legislature addresses the issue in the current session, though she wasn't positive it would. 

The legislature needs to discuss revenue, she said. "That, or we can just shut the system down, I suppose."