Sonia Chang-Díaz is a former public school teacher and the first Latina and Asian-American to serve in the Massachusetts State Senate — and she’s spent her career fighting for and winning the bold change that working families need. Sonia’s mom was a social worker. Her dad came to America with $50 in his pocket and became NASA’s first Latino astronaut. Now she’s building a movement to tackle our state’s biggest challenges and restore Massachusetts’ promise to all families.
The success of our economy and the health and happiness of our residents depends on safe, convenient, efficient and affordable transportation. But our state has failed to invest in our transportation infrastructure for years, leaving too many Bay Staters sitting on disabled trains, waiting for buses that never come, and stuck in traffic for hours every week. With the right investments and leadership, we can build an efficient, affordable, 21st century transportation system that gets people where they need to go, safely and on time, while supporting our economy and reducing our carbon emissions.
As a frequent commuter on the MBTA’s Orange Line, as well as a driver who regularly criss-crosses the state to meet with residents across the Commonwealth, Sonia understands on a personal level the frustrations Bay Staters face when it comes to transportation. Unequal transit access also creates obstacles to economic prosperity for the communities that need it most, while trapping our residents in some of the worst traffic in the country.
In the Legislature, Sonia has been a steadfast champion of efforts to increase funding for public transportation, including spearheading efforts to raise new revenue to support these critical investments. She’s also helped lead the charge against MBTA fare hikes, including winning a statutory cap on fare increases.
As Governor, she will make bold new investments in a system that has been chronically underfunded for decades to ensure safe roads and bridges, expand access to public transit, and incentivize more sustainable ways for people to get from place to place:
Expand our public transit systems statewide to reduce fossil fuel emissions and connect communities — including developing East-West Rail to knit the whole state together and a robust, electrified Regional Rail system with all-day 15-minute to 30-minute train service.
Incentivize use of public transit by moving to a fare-free system. Sonia’s first budget proposal as Governor will include funding to remove fares from MBTA and RTA buses immediately, and she will lead the charge to identify additional sources of funding — such as repealing tax breaks for corporations that shift their income to off-shore accounts — to transition to a completely fare-free MBTA.
Support new incentives and rebates to make electric vehicles more affordable and accessible to communities across the state.
Promote attractive alternatives to driving in higher density areas, including biking, walking and Bus Rapid Transit. In addition to expanding public transit options, Sonia will support strong investment in shared streets programs that promote walking and biking infrastructure and ensure equitable access to that infrastructure, while working with cities and towns to think creatively about street improvements like bus/bike lanes and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) that can cut down commuting times.
Work with local and community leaders to address displacement concerns, and ensure that transit expansion and associated development benefit existing residents while also attracting sustainable growth and development.