UPDATED at 4:33 p.m.
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Pennsylvania House Transportation Committee advanced a funding bill on Wednesday that included several items that state Senate Republicans have requested, in hopes of stopping massive service cuts from SEPTA.
The measure would fund SEPTA and other public transit across the state without implementing new taxes, instead directing a greater share of the state’s existing sales tax.
The bill was advanced in a last-minute House transportation meeting. This version includes increased funding for rural roads and highways, as well as language introduced by state Senate Republicans aimed at increased transparency, accountability and oversight of SEPTA finances.
Southeastern Pennsylvania Republicans Joe Picozzi, from Northeast Philly, and Frank Farry, from Bucks County, had proposed SEPTA reforms during state budget talks that would build on the 2023 law that established a special prosecutor for crimes on SEPTA property. Increased resources would be directed toward not only violent crime but also so-called “quality of life” crimes such as loitering, vandalism and fare evasion, which Republicans said have kept ridership from returning to pre-pandemic levels.
Despite including those Republican asks, the vote in the transportation committee remained the same with only two Republicans, Bucks County’s Shelby Labs and KC Tomlinson, voting in favor.
“How much will be enough?” asked state Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, the Republican minority chair “Are we gonna have the same conversation in two years from now?”
But Democratic state Rep. Ed Nielsen, the committee’s majority chair, contended that Southeastern Pennsylvania brings in more than 40% of state revenue, but gets less than 20% in return.
“If we want to, I'll be glad to support any kind of legislation you or the Republican Senate would like to pass that we keep ours,” said Nielsen. “You keep yours, because if we're able to keep ours, we wouldn't be having this conversation today.”
The bill is cleared for a House vote and would then go to the Senate, but those voting sessions need to be scheduled. SEPTA is warning that drastic service cuts will begin on Aug. 24 if the state government cannot agree on funding by Aug. 14.