Sen. Joyce Discusses Earkmarks of State Transportation Bond Bill

A transportation bond bill with 217 earmarks signed last summer was recently put under the spotlight by Fox 25 Undercover. 

The bill, which could cost taxpayers $277 million if financed, was passed by lawmakers and signed by Gov. Deval Patrick last August. One initiative in Canton that received funding as part of that bill was a project involving overhauls at the Canton Center Commuter Rail Station. The bill allots $500,000 to improve pedestrian access and safety at the station, while another $300,000 is for capital improvements.

State Sen. Brian A. Joyce (D-Milton), who represents Canton and serves on the Senate Committee on Bonding, spoke with Fox Undercover regarding why lawmakers like earmarks. 

"Part of our job is to ensure a fair amount of tax dollars come back to our district," Joyce told Fox Undercover. 

When asked if he thoughts some items on the list of projects were questionable, Joyce told Fox Undercover, "Well, I suspect you've looked at the list and you're going to pull one or two out. What I suspect is there's one or two in there or maybe more that wouldn't be priority of mind or yours." 

Earmarks in the transportation bill are only requests, not mandates, and to spend money, few earmarks get funded or even looked at seriously, according to Fox Undercover. 

What do you think about the transporation bond bill and the earmarks involved? Let us know in the comments section below.