Boston City Councilor At-Large and Mayoral Candidate Michelle Wu’s Statement on the Proposed MBTA Cuts

Boston, MA— Cutting MBTA service in the midst of a pandemic and economic crisis is short-sighted and dangerous, and yet once again, commuters and activists are rallying to save this critical public resource. The push to dismantle public transportation should be remembered as one of the biggest failures of the Baker Administration.

As we work towards an equitable recovery from COVID-19, these proposed cuts will impact the very essential workers—many from low-income communities and communities of color—who have been the heroes of this pandemic and who rely on the MBTA daily. Longer waits, loss of weekend service, and eliminated stops mean more crowding, greater risk to public health, more traffic, and deeper burdens on the very communities devastated by the pandemic. 

Today, I am joining advocates, commuters, and fellow elected leaders in calling on the MBTA’s Fiscal and Management Control Board to prioritize health and safety during this pandemic and our economic recovery afterwards—by rejecting transit service cuts that will deepen racial and economic injustices.