On Wednesday, March 3, Gov. Charlie Baker will release his first state budget. Though he’s been adamant and clear in his position that the Commonwealth has a spending problem as opposed to a budget problem, the governor hopes to fund the MBTA with an increase to $187 million.

MBTA General Manager Dr. Beverly Scott hosted an animated press conference on Feb. 10 during which she defended the MBTA’s snow operations and suggested it was some $3.5 billion in debt incurred as part of the Big Dig that’s really to blame.

According to the Boston Herald, the $187 million in direct payments towards the T marks a 53 percent increase from its previous $122 million.

The Herald notes that Gov. Baker is also interested in creating a special fund for times of inclement weather as well as bolstering MassDOT’s snow and ice removal budget by $44 million.

To put that in perspective, consider that in 2014 MassDOT spent upwards of $74 million. The budget was initially set for $43 million but legislation allowed the agency to deficit spend an additional $50 million.

We’re giving them this money this year because there’s a problem to be fixed,” MassDOT Secretary Stephanie Pollack told the Herald, “not because we believe the general fund has an obligation to fill in the operating deficit at the T.”

Editor’s note: an earlier version of this article attributed $3.5 million in MBTA debt to the Big Dig. It now accurately reflects $3.5 billion.