ROMNEY SIGNS TRANSPORTATION REFORM LEGISLATION
By improving coordination, new law takes first step toward transportation merger
Governor Mitt Romney today signed into law transportation reform legislation that will significantly improve the delivery of transportation services throughout the Commonwealth.
“This bill is as good as you can get without actually merging the Turnpike Authority and the Highway Department. But, it’s the first important step toward that end,” said Romney. “This will markedly change the way we manage our transportation system by providing better coordination of our transportation resources and creating potential savings for taxpayers.”
The reform effort comes in response to Romney’s call for more coordination and consolidation in what is a fragmented transportation decision-making process.
A January 2003 study of transportation services in 17 different states conducted by the independent Massachusetts Business Roundtable found Massachusetts suffers from a lack of a strong central Department of Transportation. The report goes on to state that the present system “severely impacts the ability to evaluate inter-modal transportation needs and thoroughly analyze whether train, road or even bike path expansion can work together to meet statewide and/or regional transportation needs.”
“The changes in this legislation go a long way toward addressing the deficiencies of the current transportation system,” said Transportation Secretary Daniel A. Grabauskas. “This will translate into a more efficient, coordinated and cost-effective delivery of services for the taxpayer.”
Since taking office, Romney has filed several pieces of legislation to improve coordination among the various transportation agencies. In his last two budgets, Romney proposed merging the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority into the Massachusetts Highway Department to consolidate the Commonwealth’s fragmented highway services. In the 2004 transportation bond bill, the Governor proposed operational reforms to the Massachusetts Highway Department, the Executive Office of Transportation and Construction, the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
“In the past, transportation agencies operated like silos, with little communication and leveraging of resources. The signing of this bill today is the first step in ending this disjointed practice,” said Senate Transportation Chairman Steven Baddour. “I am confident that this streamlined approach to transportation planning and operations will make sure that we get the best bang for our transportation dollars.”
“I am happy to see the Legislature and Administration work together to put forth an important reform that will have a profound impact on the taxpayers by streamlining state government,” said House Ways and Means ranking minority member Representative Vinny deMacedo.
The legislation signed today incorporates several components of the Governor’s transportation reform proposals as well as new provisions recommended by the Legislature. Highlights of the bill include:
* Installing the Secretary of the Executive Office of Transportation (renamed from the Executive Office of Transportation and Construction) as the Chairman of the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission effective July 1, 2007;
* Transferring the Registry of Motor Vehicles to the Executive Office of Transportation;
* Streamlining operations at the Massachusetts Highway Department by eliminating the outdated Board of Commissioners structure and vesting the Commissioner and Secretary with its powers;
* Installing the Transportation Secretary as Chairman of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, eliminating pay for Turnpike Authority Board members, limiting the salary of the Turnpike Authority Executive Director and reducing terms for members from eight years to five years effective July 1, 2007;
* Requiring the Executive Office of Transportation, the Turnpike Authority and the Massachusetts Highway Department to identify instances where resources can be shared to achieve cost savings;
* Installing the Transportation Secretary as a Board Member of the Massachusetts Port Authority effective July 1, 2007; and
* Creating a Regional Transit Authority Council to serve as a formal mechanism to enhance cooperation and communication between the Regional Transit Authorities, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and the Executive Office of Transportation.
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