As if the MBTA's debt, and the state's failure to act like grown-ups about it, weren't bad enough on its own, the new chief financial officer for the Mass. Dept. of Transportation (http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/main/tabid/1085/ctl/detail/mid/2937/itemid/149/MassDOT-Secretary-Davey-Appoints-Levenson-as-MassDOT-Chief-Financial-Officer.aspx) is an investment banker who thinks that leasing public infrastructure to private companies is an Awesome Idea. He did it when he worked for the city of Chicago, and I just can't /wait/ to see what delightful solution he'll come up with for the MBTA or other parts of our transportation infrastructure. It's his area of expertise, after all.

Here's an interview with the guy: http://www.governing.com/topics/finance/Dana-Levenson.html

And here's some things about the fiasco that leasing Chicago's parking turned into: http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/ArticleArchives?tag=privatization