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Boston Globe
18-07-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Congress pulls the plug on $327 million for Allston megaproject. So what's next?
This funding cut wasn't much of a surprise. The Trump administration is on the warpath to clear out any 'equity' related programs left over from President Biden. And Republicans in Congress were eager for savings to help make a bevy of tax cuts permanent in their 'Big Beautiful Bill.' So a target had been on this funding source, known as the Neighborhood Access and Equity Grant Program, for months. Advertisement It still hurt to see what's left of this infrastructure program — nearly $2.5 billion awarded but still unspent, per national nonprofit Smart Growth America's accounting — now zeroed out entirely. Advertisement The MassDOT brass already had to make do with two-thirds of the federal grant funds they had initially hoped for — a shortfall that Governor Maura Healey highlighted in January. Now, there will be more scrambling at Ten Park Plaza. So now, it's time for a backup plan. MassDOT will take two important steps to readjust. They'll embark on an in-depth cost analysis, in part to understand recent impacts from tariffs and inflation such as steel costs. That study would be paired with an independent engineering analysis about how to maximize the project's transportation benefits with the remaining available funding sources. These are logical next steps, and now they're likely necessary for the project's survival. So what kind of funding gap are we talking about? That's still not entirely clear. When asked for a breakdown of where the $2 billion would come from, state officials offered elements from the original federal grant application, including $200 million in toll revenue and $100 million from the city of Boston. Harvard University, which owns most of the old Beacon Park Yard land that would be opened up, would kick in $90 million, while Boston University, whose campus is next door, would contribute $10 million. Harvard and the city of Boston would also provide another $100 million, to be collected from future development there. In January, Healey said she would ask the Legislature for approval to use $615 million in borrowed funds, collected through bonds based on the better-than-expected money flow from the so-called millionaires tax, also known as Fair Share funds. That only gets MassDOT halfway there. In its federal grant application, the state agency signaled it would borrow another $470 million from a federal highway loan program known as TIFIA. It's unclear, though, exactly how much would be available, though US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has pledged to increase the maximum amount in financing available to many projects. Advertisement Project advocates hope the Healey administration can pick up more of the slack — maybe through a TIFIA loan, for example, or more Fair Share funds. State officials aren't entertaining this idea right now, at least not openly. Instead, the word is out that it might be time to get more frugal. Tensions have simmered in Allston for years around just how long it's taken MassDOT to get this far in the planning. It was Governor Deval Patrick, after all, who first promised this new transit hub, dubbed West Station, alongside the turnpike realignment, 11 years ago. Back then, both projects' price tags were a fraction of what they are today. Plans got waylaid during Governor Charlie Baker's administration over the so-called 'Throat' area, a narrow band of land between the train tracks and the Charles River. MassDOT finally settled on keeping all highway lanes on the ground through the area, in part to make it easier to develop on decks above them. By the time MassDOT landed the $335 million federal grant in March of last year, Healey was governor and Joe Biden was in the White House. Healey said then that she hoped for a 2027 groundbreaking; her transportation secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt hoped environmental permitting could be done within a year. The former goal just became much tougher to achieve. The latter, now impossible. Healey hired transportation veteran Luisa Paiewonsky last year, to shepherd the Allston project (along with the hoped-for new bridges over the Cape Cod Canal). Toward that end, Paiewonsky has held monthly task force meetings to update the community and solicit feedback. Advertisement Lately, the big debate has been over layover. The plans call for four tracks to park trains at West Station, to accommodate future cross-state service, despite a promise there wouldn't be any. Allston neighbors prefer trains to be parked elsewhere, as does Mayor Michelle Wu. Harvard doesn't want layover, either, and has drawn up preliminary designs for housing to show how its land could be put to better use. All eyes are on Widett Circle, a 24-acre industrial area just south of downtown that the MBTA acquired two years ago. However, the T says it needs all the space for its own layover tracks, as soon as possible, because of an existing shortage and plans to expand the commuter rail fleet. The T plans to build the first six tracks by 2028, to support electric trains coming to the Fairmount line, and the other 20 would go in over the following seven years. MassDOT is working with the Wu administration to find a new spot that could work for layover —the public works yard next to Widett, perhaps? For now, it remains a disliked part of the state's Allston plans. Other issues remain up in the air: what to do about a temporary closing of the train bridge over the Charles, for example, and how to lessen the project's impact on the river itself. And when the task force reconvenes next week, everyone involved faces the most important of unresolved issues: how to pay for it all. Advertisement Jon Chesto can be reached at
Boston Globe
11-07-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Here's what education gets out of Massachusetts' new state spending plan
The spending plan slashed $130 million, including by trimming the Statewide College and Career Readiness Program, which provides online materials for students to reach college readiness, and reducing charter school reimbursements, which districts receive as partial reimbursement for student tuitions costs. Here's how the new Massachusetts state budget will impact education: Advertisement Fair Share funding and rising costs School districts faced rising costs from inflation and the end of COVID relief programs. Current state funds like the Student Opportunity Act, which largely targets schools with underserved communities, have The new state budget increased the opportunity act's minimum per-pupil cost to $150, up from $104. However, advocates like Jessica Tang, of the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts, said there needs to be a permanent change to the Chapter 70 school funding program to account for inflation. To offset this need, the Fair Share supplementary budget, which is funded by revenue from the millionaies tax, added $1.5 billion for education. Advertisement Tang said that instead of using the money to expand education programs, the surtax funds are being used to fill gaps left by potential cuts in federal funding to programs like Medicaid, which reimburses school districts for important medical services. Tang mentioned Healey vetoed $20 million in charter school reimbursements in the state budget, which help mitigate funding losses from Chapter 70. Viviana Abreu-Hernandez, the president of the MassBudget policy organization, said the federal government is 'I'm afraid that the budget is not going to be enough once the federal cuts materialize, particularly for the children that need more support to be successful,' Abreu-Hernandez said. Vocational and technical schools The new state budget allowed to move forward The new system will allow schools to use student interest, middle school attendance, and lack of serious disciplinary issues as weights in a lottery. Lew Finfer, from the Vocational Education Justice Coalition, said the lottery system will help expand vocational school access to students from marginalized backgrounds. 'They're creating a system where conceivably every student can at least get into the lottery,' Finfer said. The state House budget included a two-year moratorium on the lottery requirement, but that was excluded from the final budget. Advertisement Mary Tamer, the executive director of MassPotential, said admission changes have to account for greater student demand, with more than 6,000 students waitlisted for vocational school seats. 'The question becomes: Will the state provide resources to create more schools?' Tamer said. Finfer said the supplementary budget accounts for at least $100 million to fund comprehensive schools that offer vocational or technical programs, which will renovate and expand existing spaces to provide around 3,000 new seats. Career readiness and higher education Healey vetoed more than $800,000 in college and career readiness programs, because they did not align with her initial budget recommendations, and she cited other programs that support career readiness. However, she added $50 million for the state's early college initiative, which allows high school students to earn college credits. 'This year's funding for early college is well positioned to catalyze growth and impact that we need to see,' said Chessye Moseley from the Massachusetts Alliance for Early College, about the program reaching 11,000 students next year. Tang said the state needs to continue promoting affordable higher education with the free community college program, and at the same time ensure there are options for students who prefer other career pathways. 'We need to focus on how do we continue to have high standards for schools and colleges, and support families and their needs,' Tang said. Literacy and student support Literacy rates in Massachusetts dropped, with four in 10 third- to eighth-graders achieving reading proficiency, Tamer said. The new state budget allocates $15 million to Tang said there is a need to expand funding for current teacher development, instead of just allocating funds to outside organizations. Advertisement Tamer said Massachusetts is following the footsteps of states like Ohio, which invested more than $100 million in literacy programs that showed significant improvements. Education Commissioner Pedro Martinez, said the state will continue to work with districts to ensure they support the rising population of students with special needs, as well as multilingual learners, whose needs are more expensive. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education expects $8.9 billion in funding. 'It is harder today to be a teacher than ever before,' Martinez said. Vatsady Sivongxay, from the Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance, said the state needs to be bolder in its funding, given school districts continue to layoff councilors and education specialists. Sivongxay, who is a parent of the Cambridge public schools, said parents should expect fewer specialized educators in kindergarten classrooms next school year. '[My son] benefits from having support staff,' Sivongxay said about her fifth-grader who does not have a specialized education program. 'He appreciates and loves all of the staff equally.' Maria Probert can be reached at
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Massachusetts dedicates $8B to transportation in FY2026 budget
This story was originally published on Smart Cities Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Smart Cities Dive newsletter. Massachusetts will direct $8 billion toward roads, bridges and public transportation over the next 10 years, according to the commonwealth's fiscal year 2026 budget, which Gov. Maura Healey signed July 4. The budget authorizes $1.25 billion for transportation in fiscal 2026, including $470 million for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, $115 million for regional transit grants and $35 million for income-eligible reduced fares at regional transportation authorities. The MBTA will also receive $548 million from fiscal 2024's Fair Share revenue, an additional tax imposed on those with incomes over $1 million. Like many public transit agencies, the MBTA encountered revenue shortfalls from reduced ridership and fare income in recent years. As federal rescue funds provided during the pandemic run out, these agencies may need to make hard choices to keep trains and buses running. The MBTA warned last November that it could face a $700 million operating budget gap in fiscal year 2026. In June, the agency's board of directors approved a $3.24 billion budget for the 2026 fiscal year, narrowing its deficit from $307 million in 2025 to a projected $168 million in 2026 with help from the Fair Share appropriation and greater fare revenue. 'From students commuting to class to seniors accessing medical care to workers getting to their jobs on time, this funding helps us deliver more frequent, reliable, and accessible service,' MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng said in a June 24 statement. The MBTA Advisory Board, comprised of elected officials from the agency's service district, recommended in a June 13 report that agency leaders focus on controlling headcount for positions unrelated to operations, reduce consultant costs and explain how the MBTA will address future deficits. Along with the MBTA, a portion of Fair Share funds will go to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. The department approved an $18.5 billion capital investment plan in June that will go toward highways, bridges, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. The department also included more than $1 billion to the MBTA over five years for rail cars, bilevel commuter rail coaches, power system upgrades and other investments. 'Every transportation investment is an investment in people — connecting them to jobs, schools, healthcare, and each other,' Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt said in a statement. Recommended Reading Transit ridership is growing but still down from a decade ago: FTA report Errore nel recupero dei dati Effettua l'accesso per consultare il tuo portafoglio Errore nel recupero dei dati Errore nel recupero dei dati Errore nel recupero dei dati Errore nel recupero dei dati
Straits Times
02-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Seattle players call for 'fair share' of Club World Cup prize money
Jun 1, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Sounders FC forward Osaze De Rosario (95) wears a t-shirt to protest FIFA Club World Cup bonus sharing from MLS while participating in pregame warmups against the Minnesota United at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images REUTERS Jun 1, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Sounders FC forward Pedro De La Vega (10) wears a t-shirt to protest FIFA Club World Cup bonus sharing from MLS while during pregame warmups against the Minnesota United at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images REUTERS Jun 1, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Sounders FC players wear t-shirts to protest FIFA Club World Cup bonus sharing from MLS while during pregame warmups against the Minnesota United at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images REUTERS Jun 1, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Sounders FC goalkeeper Stefan Frei (24) wears a t-shirt to protest FIFA Club World Cup bonus sharing from MLS while participating in pregame warmups against the Minnesota United at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images REUTERS Jun 1, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Sounders FC forward Pedro De La Vega (10) wears a t-shirt to protest FIFA Club World Cup bonus sharing from MLS while during pregame warmups against the Minnesota United at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images REUTERS Seattle Sounders players called for a bigger slice of the prize money for competing at the Club World Cup this month by wearing T-shirts emblazoned with "Cash Grab" and "Fair Share Now" ahead of a Major League Soccer match on Sunday. Seattle are set to earn at least $9.55 million for competing at the June 14 to July 13 tournament in the U.S., where the total prize money runs to $1 billion, but under the MLS collective bargaining agreement (CBA) the players' share is capped at $1 million per club. Seattle are one of three MLS teams that will compete in the expanded 32-team Club World Cup. Teams from North America are guaranteed almost $10 million just for participating and can earn more depending on their results. MLS did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment after Seattle players warmed up in T-shirts with the phrases "Club World Cup Ca$h Grab" and "Fair Share Now" written on them ahead of their 2-3 home defeat by Minnesota United. The MLS Players Association said in a statement on Sunday that players had "privately and respectfully invited the league to discuss bonus terms, yet MLS has failed to bring forward a reasonable proposal". It added that the league was "clinging to an out-of-date CBA provision and ignoring longstanding international standards on what players typically receive from FIFA prize money in global competitions. "It is the players who make the game possible. It is the players who are lifting MLS up on the global stage. They expect to be treated fairly and with respect." Seattle are in Group B at the Club World Cup along with Brazil's Botafogo, UEFA Champions League winners Paris St Germain and LaLiga's Atletico Madrid. They face Botafogo in their opening game on June 15. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Boston Globe
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Recent bad rap aside, the millionaires tax is making an impact
After reading Carine Hajjar's May 23 opinion piece, Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up Just as learning never really ends, public policy can always grow and improve. While Hajjar identifies areas where such policy can be refined, it would be a disservice to overlook the amazing opportunities created by these dollars. Thank you, Massachusetts, for investing in residents like me. My classmates and I promise to make that investment worthwhile. Advertisement Mike McDougal Haverhill Fair Share funds have been a boon to public higher ed In response to Carine Hajjar's opinion piece regarding the Fair Share Amendment, it's important to also highlight the transformative impact this funding is having on public higher education in Massachusetts. The House's fiscal 2025 supplemental budget includes a $20 million investment in higher education, with $10 million allocated to the University of Massachusetts for its endowment matching program. This initiative provides a $1 state match for every $2 in private contributions to the school and has already created or supported 700 scholarship funds worth $135 million, which distribute $4.6 million in student aid annually. Advertisement The Senate's proposal of $125 million in capital support would provide much-needed state funding for deferred maintenance, and it aligns with Governor Maura Healey's visionary BRIGHT Act, which would modernize and improve sustainability on public campuses. A notable Senate earmark is the $10 million designated for a nursing simulation lab at UMass Amherst. This facility would double the enrollment capacity for the Amherst campus's nursing program, helping to address the statewide health care workforce shortage. The UMass system educates 73,000 students annually and is celebrating 19,000 new graduates entering the workforce, predominantly in Massachusetts. These strategic investments fulfill the promises made when voters approved the Fair Share Amendment and ensure a robust future for public higher education and the Commonwealth's economy. Christopher Dunn Associate vice chancellor for government relations UMass Amherst
