March 17, 2021 Steve Poftak MBTA General Manager Massachusetts

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March 17, 2021 Steve Poftak MBTA General Manager Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority 10 Park Plaza Boston, MA 02116 Dear Mr. Poftak, We write to follow up on our letter of December 11, 2020 to again express our concerns regarding the MBTA’s Forging Ahead proposal. We have yet to receive a reply to our request for information justifying the level of service cuts the MBTA has implemented. Moreover, since our original letter, Congress has secured over $250 million for the MBTA, and the American Rescue Plan will provide an estimated $1 billion in additional transit funding to the Commonwealth. We urge you to provide evidence that justifies decreased service despite this robust federal relief, as we previously requested, or immediately reverse the recent service cuts, which disproportionately harm essential workers and low-income communities who rely on the MBTA for commutes and access to critical services. We consider mass transit to be a public good, a vital tool for combatting climate change, and an integral part of our post-COVID recovery. As such, we again request that the MBTA provide clear evidence demonstrating the continued need for this degree of service reduction in light of the significant federal assistance the Authority has received. Finally, we hope you can reassure us that the federal assistance Congress has provided will be used to completely restore any and all service cuts as soon as possible. We appreciate your time and attention to this matter and look forward to your prompt response. Sincerely, Katherine M. Clark Elizabeth Warren Member of Congress United States Senator Edward J. Markey Richard Neal United States Senator Member of Congress James McGovern Stephen Lynch Member of Congress Member of Congress William Keating Seth Moulton Member of Congress Member of Congress Lori Trahan Ayanna Pressley Member of Congress Member of Congress Jake Auchincloss Member of Congress .

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Dear Massachusetts Congressional Delegation
Honorable Scott Brown Honorable John Kerry 59 Dirksen Senate Office Building 218 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Washington D.C. 20510 Honorable Michael Capuano Honorable Barney Frank 1414 Longworth House Office Building 2252 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515 Honorable Bill Keating Honorable Stephen Lynch 315 Cannon House Office Building 2348 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515 Honorable Edward Markey Honorable James McGovern 2108 Rayburn House Office Building 438 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Washington, D.C. 20515 Honorable Richard Neal Honorable John Olver 2208 Rayburn House Office Building 1111 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515 Honorable John Tierney Honorable Niki Tsongas 2238 Rayburn House Office Building 1607 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515 Dear Massachusetts Congressional Delegation, We, the undersigned nonprofit organizations of Massachusetts, are concerned by reports that Congress is considering a cap or elimination of the itemized charitable deduction as part of a deal to avert the fiscal cliff. We urge you to protect this deduction—a unique and cherished incentive for Americans to invest directly in important community needs. The nonprofit sector plays a central role in the social and economic vitality of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Our organizations educate and keep the citizenry healthy; care for the most vulnerable populations; and preserve the state’s cherished historical, cultural and environmental resources. Nonprofits employ 16.7% of the workforce, or nearly 500,000 Massachusetts residents, and are responsible for $250 billion in annual revenues. Congress codified the strong American tradition of giving back to our communities in the tax code nearly a century ago, when it provided for deductions on charitable contributions in the Revenue Act of 1917.
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