“…For a time, the T would spend what it needed and send the bill to the Legislature, which covered the expenses. That changed in 2000. Aiming, in part, to make the T live within its means, the Legislature created a dedicated funding source for the agency: a sliver of the sales tax.
But actual sales tax revenues over the years have fallen well short of expectations. The MBTA Advisory Board, the T’s public oversight body, estimates the agency brought in $9 billion to $16 billion less than predicted between 2000 and 2021.””
By Jaime Moore-Carrillo and Jon Chesto | 2/10/26