Brian Shortsleeve for Massachusetts BOSTON, MA – Today, Brian Shortsleeve, Marine Corps veteran, proven reformer, and Republican candidate for governor of Massachusetts, released the following statement in response to the Pioneer Institute’s new report highlighting the MBTA’s exploding costs and fiscal mismanagement:
“Under Maura Healey’s leadership, a disgraceful financial backsliding has occurred at the MBTA.
“The last time the T was this financially broken, Governor Baker called me in. We brought a Marine’s discipline and a businessperson’s mindset. We cut waste, reined in overtime, reformed inefficient operations, brought the Green Line Extension project back from the dead, and balanced the budget for the first time in a decade. The Boston Globe called our work ‘the best thing that ever happened to the transit system.’ The Boston Herald said my work ‘helped turn a bloated, underperforming agency into one focused on riders, performance, and results.’
“Sadly, Maura Healey let it all unravel. Operating costs have skyrocketed. Overtime costs are setting new records. Administrative bloat is back. All of this, while taxpayers are footing the bill for a system that delivers fewer trips at a higher price.
“It’s time for another turnaround. As governor, I’ll bring back the Fiscal Management and Control Board, restore cost control as a top priority, return to unparalleled transparency, and give the MBTA the tools it needs to run efficiently and serve the public. No more blank checks. No more excuses. Let’s fix the T and put Massachusetts back on track.”
To learn more about Brian’s record of reform, reinvestment, and results at the MBTA, click here.