Proposed Changes to Commuter Rail Angers Many

Kathy Maxwell took Tuesday night off from work so she could tell MBTA executives the importance of the commuter rail after 10 p.m.

For the last 3 years, the Framingham resident has commuted to Boston for her 2 to 10 shift. She takes the 10:26 p.m. train out of Back Bay home.

, to eliminate $169 million in debt, commuter rail service on the Boston-Framingham-Worcester line would end at 10 p.m. on weekdays and be eliminated on weekends.

Along with the service reduction, fare increases to the commute rail are proposed between 30 and 40 percent.

"I'm hanging onto my house by my fingernails," said Maxwell, who added she hasn't seen a raise since she took the Boston job. "This would be a big hardship."

Maxwell was one of more than 50 people, who spoke at the public hearing Tuesday night in Nevins Hall inside the Memorial Building in Framingham.

This was the fourteenth hearing the MBTA held throughout the state to hear riders’ concerns before making a final decision on how to eliminate a $161 million budget deficit for fiscal year 2013.

MBTA must submit a balanced budget to its directors in March, who will take a vote in April. Any cuts in services or increases in fares would take place on July 1.

For MetroWest, the biggest issues are the reduction in service in the commuter rail and the steep increase in price in the RIDE service and the commuter rail.

Increasing fares and reducing the amount of time we can into downtown is ridiculous," said Cornelia Dillon of Framingham. "I think 1 and 2 [scenarios] both stink."

Framingham resident Barbara McCurdy, who has has taken the commuter rail for the last 15 years and used public transportation for more than 20 years, suggested the MBTA keep one train after 10 p.m. to pickup fans at Fenway. Recognizing weekend service is already less than weekday service, she suggested the MBTA keep some trains on the weekend as opposed to complete elimination.

In regards to the RIDE, one scenario increases the fare from $2 to $4.50 or $12, while the other scenario would raise it to $3 or $5, based on which zone a rider lives in.

"Two dollars to twelve dollars is reprehensible," said one Framingham man.

Framingham Town Meeting member Kathleen McCarthy called the proposed fare hikes a "major hardship."

"In reality, this is class warfare ... you are penalizing the people who need the help," said Ashland Selectman Chairperson Jon Fetherston.

"People who need a free ride or cheap ride are being charged more than they can afford," said A. Richard Miller of Natick.

A majority of those who spoke Tuesday night, lived in Framingham but residents from Ashland, Natick, Wayland, Southborough, Hopkinton, Wellesley, Newton and Holliston also spoke. The Sierra Club of Framingham had a large group in the audience, of which several members spoke.

"This makes no sense. Ridership is increasing but the service provided is decreasing," said John Stasik of Framingham.

Several members of the legislature were present and or spoke including State Sen. Karen Spilka and representatives Chris Walsh, Tom Sannicandro, Carolyn Dykema and Tom Conroy. Selectmen from both Natick and Ashland spoke too.

Spilka said the MetroWest region and residents "depend on the commuter rail system access for affordable quality transportation." She told the MBTA that cuts in commuter rail service would "isolate our area."

She said her constituents would consider "reasonable fare increases" but said the scenario one and scenario two is not an option.

She said any cuts in service would be "very determental to our economy, our quality of life and our residents."

"The commonwealth should be encouraging the transit service" including the accessibility to Natick Center to promote economic development ... not jeopardizing it," Natick Selectman Josh Ostroff said. Ostroff added Natick selectmen voted 5-0 to oppose the increases.

Dykema noted the large number of disabled individuals in the audience and said these are the "folks who have no other option than public transportation."

The governor and the state legislature were mentioned often Tuesday night as important players in how to fix the MBTA's debt problem.

MBTA general manager Jon Davies said the MBTA has $5.2 billion in principal debt and that the MBTA is the highest leveraged of all the country's transit authorities.

"Thirty cents of every $1 we collect goes to pay the principal," he told the audience.

He said the MBTA has taken advantage of low interest rates and refinanced, but it just has too much debt, part of which comes from the cost of the Big Dig.

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