Maura Healey is the first female governor of Massachusetts, having flipped the seat a Republican held for two terms.

Shannon Longworth Anchor/Reporter/Producer

Massachusetts Gov.-elect Maura Healey wants to fix Boston’s transit system

Dec 14, 2022

Shannon Longworth Anchor/Reporter/Producer

By Shannon Longworth (Anchor/Reporter/Producer), Stacey Chamberlain (Producer), Brian Spencer (Editor)

Maura Healey is the first woman governor of Massachusetts. Beyond making waves as the state’s first female governor, she also flipped the seat that a Republican held for two terms.

“I stand before you tonight, proud to be the first woman and the first gay person ever elected governor of Massachusetts,” Healy said after her win.

Healey is a Democrat, and as the state attorney general, she sued the Trump administration more than 100 times.

Looking forward, she is responsible for appointing a new general manager of the MBTA, Boston’s public transportation system. It’s no secret the department has a poor safety and reliability record. A Federal Transit Administration report found the MBTA’s work on long-term projects has compromised day-to-day operations.

Healey said she will appoint an official to conduct a safety audit and standards. And according to Healey’s campaign, improvements in the transit system will also benefit the environment.

Her agenda to address climate change includes electrifying all public transportation by 2040. Also, ending the sale of passenger vehicles and light duty trucks fueled by gas and diesel by 2035.

It’s not just about clean transportation, though. Healey hopes to “electrify everything” in the next 20 years by expanding clean energy production.

“I don’t want to give more power and control to big oil and fossil fuels. I want us to be strong here and energy independent,” she said.

She’s received pushback on the timeline, particularly from her opponent in the election, Republican Geoff Diehl.

“We have to make a gradual transfer. I’m an eagle scout. I want a clean environment as well. But you’ve got to be rational in how you do it. And not put a plan in place that will bankrupt every household and drive out every manufacturing business in the state,” Diehl said.

When it comes to the issue of unaffordable housing, Healey said she will hire a secretary of housing to oversee the growing production and preservation of housing. She also plans to protect abortion rights.

Tags: Abortion, Affordable housing, Climate Change, Donald Trump, Energy, Maura Healey

SHANNON LONGWORTH: SHE IS THE FIRST WOMAN GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS, WHO FLIPPED THE SEAT A REPUBLICAN HELD FOR TWO TERMS.

AS ONE OF THE NINE NEW GOVERNORS ENTERING 2023, MAURA HEALEY IS JUST ONE NAME YOU NEED TO KNOW.

MAURA HEALEY | GOV. ELECT MASSACHUSETTS: “I STAND BEFORE YOU TONIGHT, PROUD TO BE THE FIRST WOMAN AND THE FIRST GAY PERSON EVER ELECTED GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS.”

LONGWORTH: HEALEY’S A DEMOCRAT, AND AS THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL, SHE SUED THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION MORE THAN 100 TIMES.

LOOKING FORWARD, SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR APPOINTING A NEW GENERAL MANAGER OF THE MBT, BOSTON’S PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. IT’S NO SECRET THE DEPARTMENT HAS A POOR SAFETY AND RELIABILITY RECORD. A FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION REPORT FOUND THE MBTA’S WORK ON LONG-TERM PROJECTS HAS COMPROMISED DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS.

SHE SAYS SHE’LL APPOINT AN OFFICIAL TO CONDUCT A SAFETY AUDIT AND STANDARDS. AND ACCORDING TO HEALEY’S CAMPAIGN, IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TRANSIT SYSTEM WILL ALSO BENEFIT THE ENVIRONMENT.

HER AGENDA TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE INCLUDES ELECTRIFYING ALL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION BY 2040. ALSO, ENDING THE SALE OF PASSENGER VEHICLES AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS FUELED BY GAS AND DIESEL BY 2035.

IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT CLEAN TRANSPORTATION, THOUGH. HEALEY HOPES TO “ELECTRIFY EVERYTHING” IN THE NEXT 20 YEA, BY EXPANDING CLEAN ENERGY PRODUCTION.

HEALEY: “I DON’T WANT TO GIVE MORE POWER AND CONTROL TO BIG OIL AND FOSSIL FUELS. I WANT US TO BE STRONG HERE AND ENERGY INDEPENDENT.”

LONGWORTH: SHE’S RECEIVED PUSHBACK ON THE TIMELINE–PARTICULARLY FROM HER OPPONENT IN THE ELECTION.

GEOFF DIEHL | MA. GOV. CANDIDATE: “WE HAVE TO MAKE A GRADUAL TRANSFER. I’M AN EAGLE SCOUT. I WANT A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT AS WELL. BUT YOU’VE GOT TO BE RATIONAL IN HOW YOU DO IT. AND NOT PUT A PLAN IN PLACE THAT WILL BANKRUPT EVERY HOUSEHOLD AND DRIVE OUT EVERY MANUFACTURING BUSINESS IN THE STATE.”

LONGWORTH: WHEN IT COMES TO THE ISSUE OF UNAFFORDABLE HOUSING, HEALEY SAYS SHE’LL HIRE A SECRETARY OF HOUSING TO OVERSEE THE GROWING PRODUCTION AND PRESERVATION OF HOUSING. SHE ALSO PLANS TO PROTECT ABORTION RIGHTS.