16 Years Later, Merger Savings Realized!

As we contemplate a major shake-up of our transportation system in order to capture efficiencies, it’s worth pondering some cautionary tales from state government.

Today’s Herald brings news that the State Police are considering the consolidation of barracks, particularly in the Boston area (a region with barracks in Government Center, Boston, Brighton, and South Boston, as well as Milton and Framingham a bit further out.). This duplication is due in part to the merger of the MDC police with the State Police in 1992.

The state police union is implacably opposed (I’m not shocked), but I’d note that many of these barracks are in absolutely shameful physical condition.

But the larger lesson is: realizing even obvious efficiencies in state government is harder than it looks.