Massport salaries soar as critics call for help with MBTA, traffic

The average pay at Massport has soared to $101,000 with some earning three times that — big salaries fiscal watchdogs say could help taxpayers fix the crippled MBTA and ease Boston’s gridlock.

A Herald analysis of the agency’s payroll last year shows four top executives pulled down $300,000 or more; another 35 staffers earned at least $200,000 and 630-plus clocked in at $100,000 or more.

“It’s unsustainable,” said Paul Craney, spokesman for the MassFiscal Alliance. “All the scrutiny has been on the State Police overtime scandal and the MBTA, but with all the talk of taxes we need this revenue.”

Just last week House Speaker Robert DeLeo announced a proposed hike in the state gas tax, a bump in ride-hailing fees and more to rake in up to $612 million from taxpayers to fix the state’s transportation woes. Gov. Charlie Baker is also pushing a potential boost to the 24 cent gas tax as part of the proposed 12-state TCI climate compact.

None of those proposals, Craney and others say, involve siphoning off any funds flowing into Massport from Logan International Airport and shipping in Boston Harbor.

“Massport should help pay for the state’s Big Dig debt and MBTA,” said Greg Sullivan of the Pioneer Institute. “They run an airport and shipping — a big job, no question — but the fees they collect belong to the taxpayers.”

Sullivan, a former state inspector general, said he’s been looking at Massport and its giant footprint in the city. He argues the agency could funnel more of its revenue to the state and city and he also questions why salaries are so much higher than the governor’s cabinet. Gov. Charlie Baker earned $184,233 in 2019.

Massport — a quasi-public agency — relies on real estate leases to support about 6% of its $823 million budget. In fiscal 2019, Massport raised $56 million through its real estate ventures. The vast majority of that — $40 million came from its commercial ground leases in areas like East Boston and the Seaport where Massport has served as a catalyst for the massive redevelopment happening over the past decade.

Over the last decade, much of the 460 acres of developable land owned by Massport has been built up or is in the process of being used.

Just two parcels remain: 600,000 square feet at 601 Congress St. where Massport envisions a new MBTA Silver Line Station alongside mixed-use development and a 700,000-square-foot parcel off Summer Street near the Omni Hotel.

When asked about the high pay, Massport said it “generates its own revenue and only uses taxpayer funds in the form of grants and/or special project funding.” Massport charges landing fees at Logan.

A spokeswoman added that “business activity is up” — by 30% in passenger volume at Logan, 63% at the Worcester Regional Airport, 40% in cargo volume at the Conley Container Terminal and 20% passenger volume at the Flynn Cruiseport Boston.

“The growth rate in the number of our employees has been much lower than our business growth,” the spokeswoman added.

That statement, the Herald analysis shows, is true.

Massport has seen a modest 7% growth in the number of employees over the past five years — but a 21.4% jump in gross pay, records show.

The agency has also seen a change in leadership, with former CEO Thomas Glynn retiring and Lisa Wieland taking over the front office. She was the agency’s former port director. She was the third-highest paid Massport boss last year, earning a total of $334,503.

Review the entire Massport payroll at the Herald’s “Your Tax Dollars at Work” database report. Send tips to newstips@bostonherald.com.

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