State Auditor Democratic candidates Diana DiZoglio and Chris Dempsey clashed in a fiery debate on Monday, taking photographs at each other whereas making their pitch to grow to be the Bay State’s chief accountability officer.
With the MBTA on the highest of everybody’s thoughts because the state company shuts down the Orange Line for a month, the candidates had been requested how they might tackle the transit disaster within the state.
DiZoglio, a state senator from Methuen, mentioned she would launch a full security audit of the MBTA.
“We literally have trains catching on fire right now,” DiZoglio mentioned in the course of the GBH News debate on Greater Boston. “There are a bunch of issues of safety. We have strains being shut down.
“My opponent, for as much as he loves to talk about being assistant secretary of transportation, was part of the failed culture of transportation that led to what we’re seeing now,” she mentioned, later including, “Things have gotten to this point after years of not being handled previously from prior administrations.”
Dempsey served as assistant secretary of transportation underneath Gov. Deval Patrick, and is a longtime transit advocate, together with as the previous director of Transportation for Massachusetts.
The Brookline Democrat defended his time with the MBTA, saying he has “made the T work better.”
“And as auditor, I’m going to make it work better again,” Dempsey added.
He promised to conduct a day-one audit of the MBTA following the suggestions of the Federal Transit Administration. Also, Dempsey mentioned he would put in a $2 million funds request to workers up an “Office of MBTA Accountability” inside the auditor’s workplace.
DiZoglio, who served three phrases within the House earlier than being elected to the Senate, in the course of the debate introduced up the truth that Dempsey has been pushing for a 25-cent gasoline tax enhance for years.
“That to me is unacceptable,” DiZoglio mentioned.
Dempsey defended his place, saying his function with Transportation for Massachusetts was to “call out the needs and the resources that we need to actually fix transportation.”
“That’s exactly the job of the auditor,” he added.
As auditor, DiZoglio mentioned she would implement her social justice and fairness audit plan — serving to tackle inequities in housing, psychological well being companies, habit companies, and pay fairness.
Dempsey mentioned he would deal with carbon and maintain businesses accountable to scale back emissions. He additionally mentioned he’d work to reform the Massachusetts State Police.
The candidates are vying to succeed outgoing state Auditor Suzanne Bump, who opted to not search a fourth time period. Bump has endorsed Dempsey.
The major is on Sept. 6, and the lone Republican candidate for auditor is Anthony Amore.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”