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Daniel A. Grabauskas, former general manager of the MBTA. |
On July 6, Daniel A. Grabauskas, then the general manager of the MBTA, wrote an e-mail to Transportation Secretary James A. Aloisi Jr. questioning the need for an increase in T fares by January. Grabauskas, citing an infusion of new state sales tax revenue and federal stimulus money, said the agency could probably delay a boost in fares until 2011.
“Thanks to actions in the last month by the state legislature and the US Congress, we are close to being able to . . . spare our customers, many of whom are poor and transit dependent, a fare increase for an additional year, during the worst economic climate in 80 years.’’
Aloisi wrote back the same day to say the T should move ahead with a fare increase by January.
“My reaction is that there are too many ‘ifs’ or other risks in the scenario you outline - too many things have to go right. . . . My objective here is to set the MBTA on a much stronger financial footing, and moving forward on the fare increase now seems to me to be the best and most certain way to accomplish that for the next three fiscal years.’’
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