City Council opposition to MBTA Fare Increase Proposal

City of Cambridge O-1 ORIGINAL ORDER IN CITY COUNCIL February 25, 2019 VICE MAYOR DEVEREUX COUNCILLOR ZONDERVAN COUNCILLOR SIDDIQUI COUNCILLOR MALLON WHEREAS: The MBTA recently released a fare proposal that would increase fares by a systemwide average of 6.3%; and WHEREAS: If adopted, this increase would take effect July 1, 2019; and WHEREAS: The MBTA is accepting public comment on the fare proposal at a series of public meetings and online through February 28, 2019; and WHEREAS: The MBTA projects that this fare increase, the fourth since 2012, would reduce ridership by 1.3%; and WHEREAS: A recent report from INRIX found that Boston has the worst rush-hour congestion of any urban area in the country; and WHEREAS: Public transit ridership in Massachusetts must grow in the coming years, as an essential component of both the fights against climate change and against extreme roadway congestion; and WHEREAS: An increase in fares would only disincentivize the use of public transit, as increases have been shown to do in the past, and worsen vehicular traffic in the region; and WHEREAS: This proposed increase is a regressive funding mechanism that will disproportionately impact lower income residents who especially depend on access to public transit and will be more sensitive to higher costs; and WHEREAS: The MBTA must identify progressive funding mechanisms that improve service and conditions within the T without putting an undue burden directly on the T’s ridership and the working/middle class; now therefore be it RESOLVED: That the City Council go on record opposing the MBTA fare increase proposal; and be it further RESOLVED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward a suitably engrossed copy of this resolution to the members of the MBTA Fiscal and Management Control Board and to Governor Baker on behalf of the entire City Council.