THIS PAST WEEKEND, news of a huge and unexpected loss in Massachusetts politics rippled through my phone: Phil Johnston had passed away. As soon as I heard, I was stopped in my tracks — and immediately thought about breakfast.  

Just shy of 25 years ago, Phil Johnston was the new chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party. I was a college student running the Young Democrats of Massachusetts from a fax machine on a folding table in my studio apartment.  

A lot of party chairs would have ignored someone like me. Not Phil. He called me up and invited me for a breakfast meeting at the Parker House.  

I don’t think I had ever had a breakfast meeting before, and I had most definitely never been to the Parker House — let alone with someone who was a regular there and who greeted almost every other power player in the room as he made his way to the table.  

I had moved to Massachusetts from rural Pennsylvania maybe two years before, not knowing a soul and having this vague idea that I was interested in politics. It’s an understatement to say I was intimidated at that first meeting. 

During our breakfast, Phil put me at ease. He told stories of his days organizing as a young person. He cracked jokes. He not only asked me my opinion and for my ideas, but he listened. And he wanted to know how he could both support our work with the Young Dems, and also me personally.  

He let us use the conference room in his company’s office building, and always magically made sure pizza was waiting for us when we showed up. He donated to the organization. He encouraged me to run for a seat on the Democratic State Committee, and when I won put me on committees that exposed me to all sorts of people and types of work within the party.  

Later, when I ran for office in Brookline and beyond, he was always in my corner — loudly and enthusiastically, with his signature hearty laugh and a little bit of bluster. 

Of course, Phil did so much for so many — on a macro level as well as for countless individuals. It seems that everyone who knew Phil has a story to tell.  

Amy Rosenthal, now the executive director of Health Care for All, was just getting her sea legs in Massachusetts politics back in the day when she was introduced to Phil by her then-boss at the health care nonprofit Community Catalyst, the legendary Rob Restuccia. That meeting, while she was a lower-level staffer working for a big local figure, turned into decades of having Phil as her cheerleader.  

Amy lights up when describing what it meant to have someone with his resume have faith in her, especially at an early stage of her career as a young woman making her way in the health care policy world in the Commonwealth.  

“Phil was just one of those constants in my career,” said Amy. “And his confidence in me gave me that little extra bit of confidence in myself.”  

Wakefield Town Councilor Jonathan Chines is a fellow former Young Democrat, who spent a summer while in graduate school working for Phil’s firm. Jonathan points to Phil’s instinctive support of young people, giving freely of his time and advice, and centering youth voices.  

When the Supreme Judicial Court handed down its landmark 2003 marriage equality decision, Phil sought out a statement from the Young Democrats to include in the official party response — a platform that was not commonly given to the party’s young activists.  

Of course, Jonathan heard more than his fair share of Phil’s incredible stories, talking a blue streak about Bobby Kennedy or another political legend. You never knew when a conversation about work would turn into a laughter-filled stroll down memory lane.

“He was so passionate about the work, but also so much fun to be around,” said Jonathan.  

For me, Phil’s simple act of taking me seriously — when I was young, unconnected, and inexperienced, but idealistic and ready to get to work — was so powerful. All these years later, I still remember every detail about that breakfast. I know where we sat. I know what I ate. But mainly I know that this man who could have easily dismissed me instead decided to take me seriously, encourage me, and invest in me. 

On Sunday the Massachusetts political world will come together to celebrate Phil’s life. I will be there, thinking about Phil’s example. Phil understood that young people aren’t just the future of the party or the nation, they’re a vital part of our present. For that – like Amy and Jonathan — I am forever in his debt.   

Jesse Mermell is president and founder of deWit Impact Group. She’s a former member of the Brookline Select Board and served as communications director under Gov. Deval Patrick. 

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I’VE BEEN WORKING in and around the Massachusetts State House for over 20 years. From lobbying on behalf of Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, to serving in a senior role in Gov. Deval Patrick’s administration, to countless causes I’ve taken on as an advocate in my personal time, I’ve seen the State House work – and I’ve seen it come up short. 

Over the summer, a narrative took hold that the State House was coming up short, with big issues left unresolved as formal legislative sessions wrapped up. I know I felt a knot in my own stomach when I saw that bills on pressing issues like maternal health, economic development, and climate had not passed as the legislative clock ran out. In the two months since, that knot has loosened. It hasn’t gone away – what advocate is ever relieved of all stress? – but taking a hard look at two things has eased my anxiety.

First, I looked at Minnesota. Just as the formal legislative session ended here in the Commonwealth, Vice President Kamala selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. Coverage of Walz’s impressive record during Minnesota’s most recent legislative session— now known as “The Minnesota Miracle” – drew comparisons to our Legislature’s record. “What Mass. legislators can learn from Tim Walz,” wrote one observer, while another asked, “Why can’t the legislature do its job?” 

Walz’s track record in Minnesota got my progressive heart racing. But as I read through the North Star State’s list of accomplishments, they started to remind me of something – Massachusetts. We have been driving our own record of accomplishments for years now, a fact that is important to keep in mind as we continue to hear the media narrative that our state hasn’t gotten enough vital work done.

A number of policies enacted in Minnesota were approved previously in Massachusetts.

• Reproductive and gender rights: Minnesota enacted protections for reproductive freedom and gender-affirming care in 2023, but Massachusetts led the way with the Roe Act in 2020 and the Act Expanding Protections for Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Care in 2022. 
• Climate: Both states passed major climate bills focused on clean energy, electrification, and environmental justice. Massachusetts expanded offshore wind and renewable energy capacity while setting ambitious decarbonization targets in two bold climate bills during the last session. And a third major bill, designed to make the changes to siting and permitting necessary to ensure we meet those ambitious targets, is poised to be sent to the governor in weeks, if not days.
• Workers’ rights: Minnesota’s new protections include paid leave and a ban on non-compete agreements, but Massachusetts banned non-competes in 2018 and passed Paid Family and Medical Leave in 2020.
• Voting rights: Minnesota expanded voting rights in 2023, while Massachusetts passed the VOTES Act in 2022, expanding early voting and mail-in voting.
• Legalized Cannabis: Minnesota legalized adult-use cannabis in 2023; Massachusetts did this back in 2016.

A number of policies enacted in Minnesota were approved this session in Massachusetts.

• School meals: Minnesota invested $2.3 billion in education and established free school meals, while Massachusetts passed the Student Opportunity Act in 2019 and universal school meals last year.
• Gun control: Minnesota passed red flag laws and expanded background checks, much like Massachusetts’ SAFER Act, which strengthens firearm laws and public safety and was recently signed into law.
• Tax relief and housing: Both states enacted significant tax relief and affordable housing investments. Massachusetts’ $5.1 billion investment surpasses Minnesota’s $1 billion, but both focus on tenant rights and rental protections.
• Elder care: Minnesota strengthened nursing home oversight, and Massachusetts passed legislation to improve elder care protections and regulate assisted living services.

In some areas, Massachusetts is setting the standard nationally.

• Free community college: Massachusetts passed universal free community college this year, and our community colleges are already seeing increased enrollment.
• Early education and childcare: Massachusetts invested $1.5 billion in early education and childcare and implemented reforms to make it more affordable and accessible.
• Maternal health: Massachusetts passed a comprehensive maternal health bill, expanding access to postpartum care, midwife licensure, and maternal mental health coverage.
• LGBTQ protections: Massachusetts further strengthened LGBTQ parental rights and non-binary gender recognition on birth certificates and drivers’ licenses.

It’s tough to criticize Massachusetts for not keeping pace with another state when in reality we’re the pacesetter. 

Second, I looked at what has happened in the Legislature these past two months. Bills on maternal health equity, long term care reform, Boston liquor licenses, and others have passed in recent weeks. A final comprehensive climate bill is now on its way to final passage. The crucial economic development package is still out there, but the Legislature is still negotiating and has committed to return to formal session to pass it. 

The end of formal sessions over the summer has not meant the end of progress on issues – a trend that must continue through the end of the calendar year. Of course, the new session coming in 2025 must also be met with a sense of urgency.

My reduced anxiety about the Legislature’s productivity this session doesn’t mean that there isn’t still room for improvement. There is no question that the lawmaking process can be smoother, and I’ve been glad to see leadership acknowledge that the Legislature can do better. One only need look to Washington, DC to see how rare it is for people in positions of power to claim anything shy of perfection. 

We rightly have high standards here in Massachusetts. We have been, and continue to be, a national leader across numerous policy areas. The Legislature should be held to those high standards and should strive to keep us at the front of the policy pack. When I took another look at the continuing work coming out of the State House this year, however,  I saw that we are closer to meeting those marks than this summer’s narrative described. 

Jesse Mermell is the president and founder of the deWit Impact Group, which provides marketing, communications, and social engagement support for nonprofits and candidates. She is the former president of the Alliance for Business Leadership, and a former candidate for Congress in Massachusetts’ 4th Congressional District.

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EVERY DAY ACROSS OUR COMMONWEALTH, congested roads, structurally deficient bridges, and unreliable rail and bus options frustrate workers, residents, and visitors at all hours of the day and night. It is no secret that Massachusetts’ transportation infrastructure is in dire need of an upgrade. Rush hour traffic is no longer limited to a few hours a day. The MBTA struggles to maintain its existing assets, let alone fund the transit needs of the future to provide reliable and robust options for riders.    

As elected officials, activists, and business leaders continue to discuss ways to make our transportation system more reliable, accessible, and efficient, we would like to highlight the affordable, reliable and readily implementable option of expanding water transit. This cost effective mode with relatively low maintenance costs and potential for more immediate impact cannot be overlooked as a feasible and potentially transformative part of Greater Boston’s transportation network – and as a key to continued economic growth for our state’s economy. As the Pioneer Institute wrote in a 2017 report, “[ferry] service fills an important niche in Massachusetts’ ecosystem of transit options.” 

Expanded water transit service would cost-effectively streamline mobility between coastal communities along the North and South Shores and key areas like the Boston waterfront, inner harbor, South Boston, and Columbia Point. The expanded services would create opportunities for workers and students, and set the stage for continued economic growth. Elected officials in coastal communities, transit advocates, and business leaders all have a vested interest in the development of a robust water transit system, to complement our existing public transit systems. Taking drivers from coastal communities and neighboring areas off of our congested roads will benefit anyone who travels by car. 

Expansive water transit systems are already commonplace in other major coastal cities like Seattle, and there is plenty of evidence pointing to its potential effectiveness and efficiency here in Massachusetts. A ferry trip from Lynn to Boston is the most effective on-time performing  transportation mode taking approximately 30 minutes, about the same amount of time as a ride on the commuter rail to North Station, and significantly less time than driving during rush hour. The same is true for ferries from Salem and Hingham – in each case, travelling by water is as fast or faster than driving or taking the train and more reliable. Ferry Services have an on-time performance greater than 97.5 percent.  At the same time, the 2017 Pioneer Institute report found that “by a number of measures, the ferry is one of the most cost-effective modes at the MBTA. … the fare recovery ration for ferry service is 68 percent, the highest of any MBTA service mode … [and] the MBTA ferry required by far the least capital investment over the [2002 – 2015] timeframe,” compared to other MBTA services, like commuter rail, light rail, and bus service.  

For elected officials in communities like Salem, Lynn, Quincy, and Hingham, reliable water transit promises to seamlessly connect residents with employment, educational, and recreational opportunities in the Greater Boston area – allowing workers, students, and families to put down roots in communities outside the urban core. It also provides the opportunity for residents in and around Boston to easily escape the hustle and bustle of the city and contribute valuable dollars to local economies in coastal communities.  

For transportation advocates, water transit meaningfully expands the public transit options available to Massachusetts residents. Massachusetts needs to leverage its natural resources as a coastal state to address the transportation crisis at hand. Current MBTA ferry service accounts for nearly 1.5 million trips per year – removing cars from the roads and decreasing the burden on other public transit systems. It does so without the relatively high ongoing maintenance costs that are associated with the commuter rail, subway system, and road network.  

For businesses growing along the Boston waterfront – and throughout the urban core – that are struggling to attract and retain highly-qualified workers in one of the most expensive cities in the country, a reliable water transit system will allow them to fill open jobs with the promise of an easy commute from more affordable areas outside the city. It also has the potential to seamlessly connect the waterfront to Logan Airport, Columbia Point, and new developments in Somerville and Everett, allowing companies and workers to operate more efficiently and opening up new opportunities.  Additionally, water transit provides resiliency if other modes are shutdown as we saw in the winter of 2015, when the MBTA’s ferries continued to operate while the commuter rail could not due to extreme winter weather. With a near perfect on-time performance rate, the ferry is the best mode of transit. 

Research tells us that every dollar spent on public transportation investment generates four in economic return, and meaningfully improves quality of life for workers, residents, and families. As elected officials, advocates, and business leaders push for greater investment in public transportation options in the Commonwealth – with an eye towards improving mobility and supporting continued economic growth – it is essential that expanded water transit be seriously considered as a cost-effective and more near term solution to Greater Boston’s transportation crisis. 

Thomas M. McGee is the Mayor of Lynn, Massachusetts. Jesse Mermell is the President of the Alliance for Business Leadership.  

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SINCE JANUARY, the segment of the Massachusetts civic community with an interest in transportation and climate change has been waiting for the report requested by Gov. Charlie Baker of his Commission on the Future of Transportation. Charged with tackling topics that will influence the economy and landscape of the Commonwealth for years to come, the 18-member commission released its finished product last week.

Even without a year’s worth of study, we’ve known that transportation is broken in Massachusetts. The drivers sitting in traffic day in and day out know that it’s broken. The patrons of regional transit authorities whose service is being cut throughout the state know it’s broken. Commuters crossing their fingers each time they approach a shabby-looking bridge know it’s broken. And riders of the T and commuter rail hopelessly waiting in the winter cold for a delayed train know it’s broken.

Who else knows? Employers whose businesses are hurt by employees and customers not being able to reliably get from point A to point B. And climate scientists, who know that transportation is the top source of the Commonwealth’s greenhouse gas emissions. The sad state of transportation in Massachusetts has been an open secret. The one thing that’s unknown? Whether or not we’ll step up and fix it.

The commission’s report paints a picture of a transportation system in need of modernization.  This dovetails with a 2017 Federal Transit Administration report which outlined  that the MBTA had more mechanical failures than any other rail system in the country. Another study conducted by MassMoves, and commissioned by the Massachusetts Senate, identified a $1.7 billion funding gap to maintain state highways, bridges, and tunnels, along with a $7.3 billion gap to bring the MBTA to a state of good repair. These costs only grow with each passing year of inaction.

What would meaningful action on transportation actually look like? Here are some key ingredients:

Raise revenue. Significant new revenue, raised in a way that does not disproportionately burden the least fortunate among us, is necessary to support the statewide system we have, and to invest in expanded service. Emerging proposals like the Transportation Climate Initiative provide leaders at the state and regional levels with the opportunity to make progress both on our transportation needs and our climate goals.

Continue reforms. MassDOT and the MBTA deserve credit for the work their teams have done around reforms and efficiencies, including modernizing the procurement process, and operational improvements. While reform alone will not generate the funding needed to bolster the state’s infrastructure, it will a) manifest some savings, b) improve performance, and c) increase public trust in the process. Reforms such as making representative governance of transit permanent, supporting improvements to regional systems, and expanding the definition of reform will promote long-term stability and growth in a statewide system.

Lift up what we have. In order to support our businesses and achieve our environmental goals, we must make the necessary investments to bring our infrastructure to a state of good repair. The public has a right to expect routine maintenance and basic modernization of the state’s transportation system, including employing existing technologies to improve service and exploring innovations such as congestion pricing to alleviate crowding on our roads .

Prioritize equity. Our current transportation system fails underserved communities in multiple ways, chief among them limiting access to opportunities and threatening hefty impacts of climate change. A plan for the future should include expanding service and frequency to those most often left behind, at fares that are equitable. Plans must also be thoughtful about how to mitigate the impacts of gentrification that often follow improvements in transportation.

Don’t recreate the wheel.  The Commonwealth’s transportation system of tomorrow already exists in other places. Mexico City and Bogota have been leaders in bus rapid transit. No place does bicycle infrastructure better than the Netherlands. Seattle’s water ferries are enviable, and London uses resources generated by congestion pricing to invest in pedestrian improvements. We can learn from their experiences, make modifications as needed, and bring the world’s best transportation ideas to Massachusetts.

As the Commission on the Future of Transportation’s report makes clear, there is much work to be done in order for Massachusetts to reach our climate goals and create infrastructure that works for everyone. But our collective bookshelves are full of decades’ worth of reports outlining similar findings. We don’t have time to further clutter the shelves. Creating the future of transportation starts today. It’s on us to deviate from our current path, and make our systems across the Commonwealth efficient, inclusive, and sustainable.

Sen. Joseph Boncore represents the First Suffolk and Middlesex District in the Massachusetts Senate and Jesse Mermell is the president of the Alliance for Business Leadership.

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ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL IMAGES from last winter’s 100-year storms was the photograph of General Electric’s future Boston home submerged under water. It served as a strong warning of the consequences if we fail to act boldly in the fight against climate change.

In this final month of the state Legislature’s formal session, our representatives have an opportunity to take the common sense next step in this fight and demonstrate the leadership for which Massachusetts is justifiably famous.

Legislation in the Senate and House would establish an economy-wide fee, or price, on the carbon pollution that is threatening our health, our shoreline, our businesses, farms, fisheries, and the well-being of our children. The revenue from this pollution fee, charged to fossil fuel importers, could be captured and returned to residents and businesses, and some could be used to invest in our shift to clean energy.

We already charge a modest fee for this pollution in the electricity sector, through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which helped reduce power plant emissions in the Northeast by 39.6 percent between 2007 and 2015, or twice the national rate. As a result of this and other clean energy policies, power plants now account for less than 20 percent of emissions in Massachusetts.

But that will not be enough to achieve our legal mandate to cut overall greenhouse gas emissions to 80 percent below the 1990 level by 2050. We must address the other economic sectors that emit carbon pollution, primarily from the burning of fossil fuels and bioenergy. We also must mobilize our natural systems such as forests, wetlands, and soils to sequester additional carbon dioxide.

There are several important policies and programs that can help us achieve our goals, but putting a price on carbon pollution not only is the single most effective tool, it also boosts the effectiveness of every other clean energy policy by providing strong economic incentives to move more quickly toward local efficiency and renewable energy.

Each year, Massachusetts residents and businesses spend about $20 billion to import fossil fuels. Keeping more of our energy dollars in the state by using local energy such as wind and solar will help grow local businesses and jobs and boost the renewable energy sector that will give us a stronger, more reliable energy foundation.

Without intervention, the costs of climate change will continue to increase and become more unpredictable, and our residents and businesses simply cannot afford them. The Northeast will be harder hit by climate change than most other regions, and already our average temperatures have climbed higher than those for the country as a whole. An accumulating body of evidence indicates that the pace of climate change is accelerating faster than scientists had predicted, and our response must become stronger.

Legislators who act to protect our communities will have the clear support of the state’s science, business, faith, academic, and community leaders. The Alliance for Business Leadership, a separate coalition of nearly 200 business leaders, and most recently National Grid have all called for economy-wide carbon pollution pricing.

Nearly 300 faith leaders in Massachusetts have signed a letter endorsing a price on carbon pollution. Separately, Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley, the Roman Catholic archbishop of Boston, was among nearly 600 religious and scientific leaders who urged policymakers to address the climate crisis “with the boldness and urgency it requires, with substantive and immediate action.”

The Senate recently passed carbon pollution pricing as part of its energy bill, and the House has completed its energy legislation. Both branches now have a chance to collaborate in conference in order to achieve a fair and equitable carbon pricing policy that works for all Massachusetts residents and businesses.

Other states around the country, especially in the Northeast, are looking to us for leadership, especially neighboring states whose own legislation contains language that triggers action once Massachusetts acts. This chain reaction also can have a huge economic impact: the combined gross domestic product of the states currently considering carbon pricing legislation in the region – Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont – constitutes the world’s seventh largest economy.

At a time when the federal government is unable to act on climate change, Massachusetts must assume its historic role as a leader on the tough issues, and show the way for the rest of the country.

William Moomaw is professor emeritus of international environmental policy at Tufts University and a lead author of five reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the UN body established to provide an objective, scientific view of climate change. Jesse Mermell is president of the Alliance for Business Leadership.

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FORGIVE US  FOR opening old wounds, but it was just two years ago this spring that our state was crippled with foot after foot of snow. There was perhaps no more striking example of how dependent our economy is on reliable transportation.

One economic analysis reported that Massachusetts lost $1 billion in wages and profits due to the storms — losses directly tied to the inability of employees, customers, and goods to get from point A to point B on roads, bridges and public transit.

Western Massachusetts doesn’t need a series of blizzards to understand the role that access to transportation plays in creating economic growth. This region’s substandard transportation infrastructure, and shortage of convenient travel options east, hampers the economic future of the area on even the sunniest summer day.

Today, getting from Springfield to Boston by train takes three hours. There is just one train a day and it is only on schedule half the time. As a result, Greater Springfield residents are virtually cut off from the red-hot economy of Greater Boston, and those who do commute east have little choice but to travel nearly two hours by car or bus on the Mass Pike – emitting greenhouse gases and increasing levels of highway congestion.

Traveling around the region isn’t much better.  A 2013 study conducted by MassINC showed that riders who depend on the current inter-city bus system, the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, for their commutes spend an average of 15 minutes longer getting to work each day than those who drive in their own vehicles.

Public transportation should make it easier, not harder, for employees to get to their jobs, whether they’re traveling across town by bus or across the state by train.

This month brought significant progress with the unveiling of a renovated Union Station, and with it the launch of 12 new trains making the trek from Springfield to New Haven and Hartford each day, as well as improved bus facilities.

While this important progress should be celebrated, one need only look to Springfield’s past to understand how much brighter its future could be if the recent developments included a study of the potential in connecting the region to other economic centers of the state.

Springfield was once referred to as the “crossroads of New England” because of its central location between Boston, Montreal and New York City. In 1794, George Washington, recognizing the city’s strategic position on this crossroads, built the nation’s first armory there. As the country matured, Springfield’s centrality made it an essential rail connection from Boston.

It became an attractive home for large employers such as Westinghouse, American Bosch, and Indian Motorcycle. As recently as 1960 there were five trains per day that traveled east to west, connecting Boston to Springfield. In the years that followed, train service slowed, the Armory closed, and manufacturing jobs fled the area.

The historical evidence is clear: Springfield’s economic success is inextricably linked to the city’s position as a transit hub.

If Springfield were connected to Boston with a quicker commute, for example, the “City of Homes” would earn its nickname by offering affordable market-rate housing, taking pressure off of housing stock and prices in Metro Boston and boosting the city’s appeal to young workers.

Recent signs point to the city finding creative ways to reinvent itself for this potential future.

Springfield is using long-awaited reinvestments in public transit to encourage not only a renewal of the industrial sector, but also to spur new industries such as technology and innovative entrepreneurship.

And it’s working.

The city is expecting more than $1 billion in new business investments — including Union Station’s $88.5 million overhaul and the China Railway Rolling Stock Corp.’s $95 million investment in a railcar manufacturing factory — over the next year. MGM Springfield, which is building a casino downtown, has committed to investing $50 million annually in the local economy. Greentown Labs, a company which prides itself on being the largest clean energy tech incubator in the United States, responsible for raising over $200 million in funding and incubating over 100 companies, has just opened new office space in Springfield’s Technology Park. The new Springfield Innovation Center, currently undergoing an $80 million renovation, will further attract innovative new businesses that are looking to expand and call Hampden County home.

If past is prologue, the way to maximize the impact of these positive developments — and encourage more of the same — is to invest in transportation.

The opening of Union Station is a step in the right direct, but there are still investments on the table that need to be considered.

A budget amendment has been introduced that would require the state’s Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to study the costs and economic benefits of establishing high-speed rail service between Springfield and Boston. The measure has passed the Senate, but needs to be included in the Legislature’s conference committee budget and then signed by the governor to take effect.

If it passes, MassDOT will examine the projected costs, ridership levels, and operation of the train on existing rights of way. Additionally, the study will also take a closer look at the availability of federal, state, local and private sector sources and the resulting economic, social and cultural benefits for the Commonwealth as a whole.

Highlighting the necessity to better understand commuting options between the east and west, we recently kicked off a commuter rail tour between Springfield and Boston, making stops to connect with local business leaders in Framingham, Worcester, and Palmer. One thing was clear, if we understood the full potential of the east-west rail link, the impacts could go well beyond Springfield. It will help the local economies and small businesses in between, like the Steaming Tender restaurant, next to the tracks in Palmer.

Massachusetts could be well-served, and perhaps pull Springfield out of its perpetual transportation winter, by better understanding the economic potential of high-speed rail access between Boston and Springfield.

Eric P. Lesser, represents the First Hampden & Hampshire District in the Massachusetts Senate and is Senate chairman of the Joint Committee on Economic Development & Emerging Technologies. He also leads Millennial Outreach for the state Senate. Jesse Mermell is president of the Alliance for Business Leadership.

The post Public transportation is investment in Springfield’s future appeared first on CommonWealth Beacon.

FORGIVE US FOR opening old wounds, but it was just two years ago this spring that our state was crippled with foot after foot of snow. There was perhaps no more striking example of how dependent our economy is on reliable transportation.

One economic analysis reported that Massachusetts lost $1 billion in wages and profits due to the storms — losses directly tied to the inability of employees, customers and goods to get from point A to point B on roads, bridges and public transit.

Western Massachusetts doesn’t need a series of blizzards to understand the role that access to transportation plays in creating economic growth. This region’s substandard transportation infrastructure, and shortage of convenient travel options east, hampers the economic future of the area on even the sunniest summer day.

Today, getting from Springfield to Boston by train takes three hours. There is just one train a day and it is only on schedule half the time. As a result, Greater Springfield residents are virtually cut off from the red-hot economy of Greater Boston, and those who do commute east have little choice but to travel nearly two hours by car or bus on the MassPike – emitting greenhouse gases and increasing levels of highway congestion.

Traveling around the region isn’t much better. A 2013 study conducted by MassINC showed that riders who depend on the current inter-city bus system, the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, for their commutes spend an average of 15 minutes longer getting to work each day than those who drive, factoring in convenience, commuters end up traveling in their own vehicles. Public transportation should make it easier, not harder, for employees to get to their jobs, whether they’re traveling across town by bus or across the state by train.

This month will bring significant progress with the unveiling of a renovated Union Station, and with it the launch of 12 new trains making the trek from Springfield to New Haven and Hartford each day, as well as improved bus facilities.

While this important progress should be celebrated, one need only look to Springfield’s past to understand how much brighter its future could be if the recent developments included a study of the potential in connecting the region to other economic centers of the state.

Springfield was once referred to as the “crossroads of New England” because of its central location between Boston, Montreal, and New York City. In 1794, George Washington, recognizing the city’s strategic position on this crossroads, built the nation’s first armory here. As the country matured, Springfield’s centrality made it an essential rail connection from Boston.

It became an attractive home for large employers, such as Westinghouse, American Bosch, and Indian Motorcycle. As recently as 1960 there were five trains per day that traveled east to west, connecting Boston to Springfield. In the years that followed, train service slowed, the armory closed, and manufacturing jobs fled the area.

The historical evidence is clear: Springfield’s economic success is inextricably linked to the city’s position as a transit hub.

If Springfield were connected to Boston with a quicker commute the “City of Homes” would earn its nickname by offering affordable market-rate housing, taking pressure off of housing stock and prices in Metro Boston and boosting the city’s appeal to young workers.

Recent signs point to the city finding creative ways to reinvent itself for this potential future. Springfield is using long-awaited reinvestments in public transit to encourage not only a renewal of the industrial sector, but also to spur new industries such as technology and innovative entrepreneurship.

And it’s working.

The city is expecting over $1 billion in new business investments — including Union Station’s $88.5 million overhaul and the China Railway Rolling Stock Corp.’s $95 million investment in a railcar manufacturing factory — over the next year. MGM Springfield, the casino coming to the city’s downtown, has committed to invest $50 million annually in the local economy. Greentown Labs, a company which prides itself on being the largest clean energy tech incubator in the United States, is responsible for raising over $200 million in funding and incubating over 100 companies and has just opened a new office space in Springfield’s Technology Park. The new Springfield Innovation Center, currently undergoing an $80 million renovation, will further attract innovative new businesses that are looking to expand and call Hampden County home.

If past is prologue, the way to maximize the impact of these positive developments — and encourage more of the same — is to invest in transportation. The opening of Union Station is a step in the right direct, but there are still investments on the table that need to be considered.

A budget amendment has been introduced that would require the state’s Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to study the costs and economic benefits of establishing high-speed rail service between Springfield and Boston. The measure has passed the Senate, but needs to be included in the Legislature’s conference committee budget and then signed by the governor to take effect.

If it passes, MassDOT will examine the projected costs, ridership levels and operation of the train on existing rights of way. Additionally, the study will also take a closer look at the availability of federal, state, local and private sector sources and the resulting economic, social and cultural benefits for the Commonwealth as a whole.

Massachusetts could be well served, and potentially pull Springfield out of its perpetual transportation winter, by better understanding the economic potential of high-speed rail access between Boston and Springfield.

Eric P. Lesser, represents the First Hampden & Hampshire District in the Massachusetts Senate and is Senate chairman of the Joint Committee on Economic Development & Emerging Technologies. He also leads Millennial Outreach for the state Senate. Jesse Mermell is president of the Alliance for Business Leadership.

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Quality education and health care, along with many other measures where Massachusetts is a leader, are key to the state’s long term prosperity and well-being. But just as important is another category studied by U.S. News where Massachusetts is playing catch-up: transportation.

It may come as no surprise that Massachusetts ranks 45th in the quality of our transportation network. That reflects the condition of our roads (#47) and bridges (#28), and the time we spend commuting (#47). Massachusetts performed comparatively well in per-capita ridership on public transportation (#8), but those of us who ride the T regularly or have tried to catch a bus after 7 p.m. in the Berkshires know that we can and should do much better.

These rankings reflect what people in Massachusetts experience every day: delay and decay. As well as we are performing in some areas, our economy, and our quality of life, is being held back by a transportation system that is just not ready for the 21st Century.

Congestion and delays cost people time and money. The average motorist in the Boston area spends 53 hours annually caught in congestion and detours, according to TRIP, a national research group. Statewide, delays cost us $8.3 billion per year, or $1,913 for the average driver in the Boston area, and $1,733 in Worcester.

And because transportation is interconnected, delays or disruptions in one mode ripple into others. The public understands this. A recent WBUR survey found that the single solution that motorists would prefer to reduce traffic is a better performing MBTA.

Drivers experience decay in the condition of our state and local road network. At the current rate of spending, the percentage of state owned, non-interstate road miles that will be in fair or poor condition is expected to increase from 36 percent to 80 percent by 2025, according to MassDOT.

A few years ago, there were 613 structurally deficient bridges in Massachusetts. The state embarked on the Accelerated Bridge Program, and we made a real dent – down to 432. But that program has ended, and partly because our bridges are among the oldest in the country, the number is on the rise again.

Cities and towns don’t have sufficient funds to maintain their roads and bridges. The Massachusetts Municipal Association reports that the funding needed is more than triple the dollars actually budgeted.

And while U.S. News methodology did not measure the actual condition of our public transportation infrastructure, there is a backlog of over $7 billion in MBTA repairs. Broken transit just makes roadway congestion worse.

For many Massachusetts residents, our underperforming transit network is a barrier, when it should be a lifeline. Urban neighborhoods and rural communities alike are underserved, and inequality is persistent for those who are transit dependent. The Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s recent Regional Indicators report documents that the average black bus rider in Greater Boston spends 64 more hours per year commuting to work than the average white bus rider. We must do better. Here are three things we can do to boost our rankings in the years ahead:

Build Staff Capacity at MassDOT and the MBTA

Gov. Charlie Baker and Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack have accurately stated that the MBTA cannot effectively spend all the capital funding it has today. Similar problems exist with MassDOT’s Highway and Road program. It is imperative that the state properly staffs and manages the transportation agencies charged with oversight and delivery of capital projects.

We can’t fix our infrastructure cost-effectively if we don’t have the staff to manage those projects. Early retirement incentive programs may help balance today’s budget, but can also work against our long-term interests. We can’t incentivize some of our most talented employees to leave when we have a significant project backlog. Let’s attract the best possible talent, as the MBTA did recently with the hiring of the Green Line Project Manager.

Find Additional Resources for Transportation

Ten years ago, a bipartisan commission identified the gap at a billion dollars a year just to maintain the current system. The cost of materials to build highways, bridges and rail systems has risen much faster than our capacity to pay for them. For every day we wait, this backlog gets more expensive. While the Legislature in 2013 made a start in addressing the funding gap, there’s a long way to go. We need to summon the will to invest responsibly.

Build a legacy

The transportation rankings in U.S. News reflect decades of neglect and misprioritization of resources. We didn’t get here overnight. So we need to think long-term about the needs and goals of our transportation system if we’re going to climb out of the hole and stay there. The decisions we make today will impact generations to come – let’s think long-term about priorities and needed resources so that we don’t leave future generations playing catch-up.

As champions of Massachusetts, we celebrate the innovation, the energy, and the talent that make this the single best state in which to live. That’s why, even though ranking #45 is a blemish we might normally want to sweep under the rug, we’ll be better off if we address it head on.

With commitment, resources, and an eye toward long-term growth, building and maintaining a transportation network worthy of Massachusetts’ future is entirely within our grasp. In ten years, we can and should run the table and be #1 in more U.S. News categories than we can count – starting with transportation. The Commonwealth will be better for it. Let’s get going.

Chris Dempsey is the director of Transportation for Massachusetts, a statewide coalition working for a modern, reliable and efficient transportation network. Jesse Mermell is the president of the Alliance for Business Leadership, a non-partisan coalition of business leaders supporting social responsibility and sustainable economic growth.

The post We may be No. 1, but not in transportation appeared first on CommonWealth Beacon.

THE MORE THINGS change, the more they stay the same. For centuries now the economic health of the city of Salem has been tied to the ocean.

In the immediate aftermath of the American Revolution and into the 1800s, ships from Salem took to the seas and returned with tea, spices, and silks that turned the port community into the wealthiest city per capita in the new nation. Later, Salem Harbor became home to a major coal depot, where ships dropped off coal on its way to fuel regional factories and, later, a large coal-powered power plant on the waterfront itself. Much has changed with the city today, but the ocean remains central to its economic prosperity. In this day and age that can only mean one thing: For Salem to survive and thrive, we must tackle the issue of climate change.

Modern-day Salem is a bustling city on the rise. Between tourism, health care, and higher education, the city’s economy has transformed from the days of importing tea from China. But it will never move on from its connection to the ocean. With a new natural gas power plant opening up acres of waterfront land, Salem has the opportunity to sustainably develop an area that will link oceanfront resources to economic development.

With this vital opportunity looming, addressing climate change is an economic imperative for Salem. The city’s 2014 Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Plan outlines serious challenges that may be in store for the coastal community by 2050: a sea level rise of more than four feet, storm surges of more than 13 feet by the year 2100, a 30 percent increase in the likelihood of a “100-year storm,” and a 157 percent increase in the number of days over 90 degrees.

The plan identified 22 prioritized vulnerabilities facing the community as a result of climate change, many of them with significant economic impacts. Property damage or loss of Salem’s historic and culturally significant properties, some of the city’s greatest tourist attractions, is seen as being “very likely.” Most certainly, any economic growth realized or possible as a result of redevelopment along the city’s historic waterfront would be severely jeopardized.

Salem is hardly alone. Last month, Mayor Marty Walsh’s administration released “Climate Ready Boston,” which predicts a rise in sea levels of three feet by 2050, with heavy impacts in economic centers like the newly developed Seaport District.

MassAudubon has estimated that more than 5 percent of Gloucester – a community with an economy long driven by its connection to the ocean — will be underwater by the end of this century, and that the more than one dozen ski areas in the Commonwealth will face higher operating costs in the years ahead as they struggle to maintain a snow pack due to rising temperatures. On Cape Cod, fishermen and cranberry farmers are already reporting the impacts of climate change on their businesses, and the local economy. The Cape Cod Commission projects that six feet of sea level rise by 2100 would mean the loss of $1.07 billion in sales and 8,222 jobs. Even the more conservative estimate of a two foot rise would yield a loss for the Cape of $188 million and 851 jobs.

Amidst all of this economic gloom and doom, there is opportunity. Fighting climate change will require innovation, and no place innovates like Massachusetts. The clean energy sector in our state is thriving, creating jobs and infusing our state coffers with new funds: 98,000 jobs, 6,400 companies, and $11 billion in investments across the Commonwealth to date.

Meanwhile, in addition to preparing to mitigate the impacts of climate change, Salem is working to address its own impacts on climate. A certified Green Community, Salem is reducing its own carbon footprint by taking such steps as converting all its streetlights to more efficient LED fixtures, installing solar panels on schools and city buildings, converting its municipal vehicle fleet to hybrid and electric vehicles, and entering into a municipal electrical aggregation supply contract that will supply every home and business in the city with electricity generated from green sources. Across the state, 154 other Green Communities are taking their own steps to reduce their carbon footprints.

Since its earliest days, Salem’s waterfront and oceanic identity has been a source of creativity, growth, and prosperity. America’s first millionaire, Elias Hasket Derby, was one of many Salem merchants whose ships traveled the globe and made Salem famous and prosperous. As the city approaches its 400^th birthday in 2026, it remains no less connected to the ocean and its harbor. It is a fixed and permanent piece of what makes Salem so vibrant and successful. The piece of the puzzle that is changing is our climate. Salem, and the Commonwealth, must not fail to adapt.

Kimberley Driscoll is the mayor of Salem. Jesse Mermell is president of the Alliance for Business Leadership.

The post Salem is taking on climate change appeared first on CommonWealth Beacon.

Transportation visioning has been on our minds lately, especially after our two organizations – The Alliance for Business Leadership and Transportation for Massachusetts – teamed up this past March at The Alliance’s daylong problem-solving event, ABL Leader Lab, to coordinate a track devoted to transportation issues. Nearly 200 business and civic leaders came together at Leader Lab to tackle big questions, such as the one we posed about transportation:

How does Massachusetts both shore up its current infrastructure and create the modern agencies and systems we need to compete in the 21st century?

Among many ambitious ideas, there was clear consensus around one answer: vision. Almost to a person, the leaders in the room concluded that in order to effect big change we need a big, shared vision.

So in addition to hope, we – the business community, advocates, public officials, taxpayers – must promote a direction and a goal for transportation in the Commonwealth. A vision. Focus40 promises to be a strong first step toward defining that direction and goal.

It’s not easy to focus on the future when the present seems grim. For most of us, we just hope to get to work or school on time. But transportation improvements can take decades, so it’s just not enough to fix the T’s troubles today; we need to be competitive tomorrow. And as we saw at Leader Lab, looking ahead with a sense of hope comes naturally to many of us, even though the daily experience of MBTA users can be dispiriting.

And that’s our strength. Massachusetts is a state of dreamers and doers. We are creating the future in life sciences, materials, design, and culture even as we tackle today’s challenges. Heck, we gave the world the chocolate chip cookie! We’re not done innovating.

Focus40 is kicking off with an open house and a panel discussion, before everyone rolls up their sleeves in the weeks and months ahead for a plethora of meetings, public sessions, and opportunities for input. The folks at the MBTA will receive no shortage of advice as to how best to pull this vision together, but the discussion at ABL Leader Lab yielded some key insights that are worth sharing:

• Don’t reinvent the wheel. Other public transportation systems are leading the world with incredibly exciting, efficient initiatives, from free transit service in congested downtowns in Denver and Salt Lake City, to gold-standard bus rapid transit systems in Brazil, Peru, and Colombia, to a focus on sustainability in Denmark, India, and China. Massachusetts should learn from them, incorporate best practices, and adapt any findings to meet local needs.

• Use public transportation as a weapon in the fight against climate change. As Massachusetts seeks to reduce our carbon emissions, public transportation must contribute by getting cars off the roads and cutting greenhouse gasses.

• Embrace technology and innovation. Whether it’s the “Where’s my bus?” app, the hugely popular countdown signs on T platforms, or something new and disruptive that hasn’t been thought of yet, technology and innovation can improve public transportation’s efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

• Keep equity top of mind. It’s no secret that access to transportation often translates to access to economic opportunity. Investing in underserved communities can spur economic growth, create jobs, and support businesses.

• Think bigger. Yes, think bigger about what the MBTA can be 25 years from now, but also think bigger than the MBTA. The Commonwealth’s entire transportation infrastructure is in desperate need of a vision – one that includes, but is not limited to, the T. Residents in central and western Massachusetts, the Cape, Islands, South Coast, and Merrimack Valley all have a stake in our transportation future.

Seneca, the Roman philosopher and statesman, once said, “To the person who does not know where he wants to go, there is no favorable wind.” Massachusetts is approaching a point where we must have the leadership and competitive will to know where we want to go. In other words, we need a vision, and we need hope.

Jesse Mermell is president of The Alliance for Business Leadership. Josh Ostroff is partnerships director at Transportation for Massachusetts. MBTA’s Focus40 public process kicks off at at Northeaster’s Curry Student Center, 360 Huntington Ave, starting at 5PM on May 24, with details here. 

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