Keller @ Large: MBTA Mess Too Important To Ignore

BOSTON (CBS) - I saw two of the state's top transportation officials on the street yesterday, and they had the slightly haunted look of men who've been getting yelled at on a regular basis.

Listen to Jon's commentary:

Which, in fact, they have been, as they attend a string of public hearings across the state on the proposed public-transit service cuts and 43-percent fare hikes they claim are needed to close the MBTA's $161 million budget deficit.

But judging from what I've seen in the video of some of those rowdy hearings, the realization is starting to sink in that the T brass aren't the only ones that need some stern feedback.

That huge budget gap is in part a by-product of the T's staggering $5.2 billion debt, which devours nearly a third of the system's budget each year.

And that debt is the product of really bad decision-making by the legislature and executive branch in this state, from unsustainable union contracts to the Big Dig fiasco, going back for decades.

The guy at the hearing in Boston Monday night with the Deval Patrick mask blaming the governor and the legislature for our current mess had a point.

They didn't create the problem, but they're doing nothing to help solve it.

A few years ago, the governor did propose a gas tax hike – which almost certainly has to be a part of the way out of the woods for the T – but its political failure back then is no excuse for his unwillingness to push for it now, especially since he's a lame duck with no obvious political risk at stake.

And legislators who say they can't vote for a gas tax hike or another form of T relief because voters who don't use public transit will be angry with them aren't exactly scoring high on the courage meter.

This is not to let the T off the hook.

They could do more to save money through privatization, they should sell off some of their surplus property, and forfeiting a million bucks in liquor ad revenue was foolish.

But this is a problem too big and important for anyone – politicians or taxpayers – to run away from.

And if they're waiting for a bus to come along and whisk them away from the mess – well, insert your own joke here.

You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. and 12:25 p.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News.