The Republican-controlled Pennsylvania Senate passed a bill on Tuesday that would fund SEPTA and avoid major service cuts at the end of the month, but it’s expected to face challenges from Democrats in the state House.
Senators first passed an amendment to the bill, introduced by Republican state Sen. Joe Picozzi of Northeast Philadelphia, with a 27-22 vote along party lines.
The bill will now go back to the Pennsylvania House.
The funding would be drawn from the Pennsylvania Transit Trust Fund. It also includes safety and accountability provisions.
Picozzi called the bill a “bridge” that will fund SEPTA for the next two years.
“This proposal is the only viable plan to keep service running past the August deadline,” Picozzi said. “By enacting this legislation, we give ourselves the breathing room to design a better, safer, more accountable transit system for the next generation and the 21st century.”
A spokesperson for Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro slammed Picozzi’s proposal.
“While Governor Shapiro appreciates Senate Republicans finally acknowledging the need to fund mass transit systems across the Commonwealth, this is clearly not a serious, long-term proposal that can pass both chambers,” Shapiro’s spokesperson said in a statement. “It’s time to get back to the table and keep working at it.”
Democrats in the state Senate also opposed the plan.
“The proposal before us quite simply robs money from urgently needed capital projects to pay for off-rating costs,” Democratic state Sen. Nikil Saval, of Philadelphia, said. “This is service cuts by another name.”
Joanna McClinton, the Democratic Speaker of the Pennsylvania House, said that the bill passed by the Senate doesn’t resolve the funding crisis but makes it worse.
“They want SEPTA to take money out of their project fund, which they need to fix and repair their infrastructure, and use it for operating costs,” McClinton said in a text message to CBS News Philadelphia. “This does not solve the problem at all, so we will be returning to session to vote on this very soon.”
In a statement, SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer said that the transit agency appreciates the Senate addressing the need for SEPTA funding.
“We appreciate that the Senate seems genuinely motivated to address the need for additional state funding for public transit for SEPTA and other transit agencies across the Commonwealth,” Sauer said. “I also acknowledge that in subsequent discussions with legislative staff this evening, there may be confusion about the proposed sources of funding to address the crisis we are facing. As a result, we expect to remain in close contact with all parties in this negotiation as we continue to await a solution that will provide adequate, sustainable funding for SEPTA’s future.”
On Monday, Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives passed legislation that would provide SEPTA with the funding it needs to avoid the looming “doomsday” service cuts.
The Democrat-backed bill had the support of Shapiro and passed the chamber, 108-95, over the objection of nearly every Republican in the chamber.
How SEPTA cuts would affect Philadelphia students
Philadelphia students return to school on Aug. 25 — one day after SEPTA would begin service cuts if it doesn’t have state funding.
“The cuts are going to impact students a great deal, and they’re unfortunately going to be among the first that will be hit with these cuts,” Andrew Busch, a spokesperson with SEPTA, said.
While SEPTA said students will still have options, they won’t be as direct as they are now.
“They might have to transfer to two or three different routes now, might have a longer walk,” Busch said.
Stanley’s son takes the T-4 trolley in West Philly – one line slated to see reduced service. He worries fewer trollies will mean overcrowding.
“Coming from school, it be packed, so he’s missing trolleys, or missing the bus to come home,” Stanley said. “He has to find another route to come home.”
Stanley’s son is one of 52,000 School District of Philadelphia students who use SEPTA to get to school. And district leaders said they’re concerned about the impact cuts could have on attendance.
How would SEPTA cuts affect students in Philadelphia?
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“A key driver for continuing to improve our school district is we need our kids, our young people, to be in school at least 90% of every month,” Dr. Tony Watlington, the superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia, said.
Watlington said they’re working with parents where they can. But he acknowledged much is out of their control — and the district can’t just add more yellow buses to fill routes.
“It’s inefficient to do two systems, number one,” Watlington said. “Number two, there’s a shortage of bus drivers and resources to get a lot of additional school buses.”
School safety officials said with the possibility of more kids walking, they are working with Philadelphia police to increase patrols in high-travel areas.
“It’s probably going to require a lot more from parents to get their students to and from school safely,” said Chief of School Safety Craig Johnson.
What happens if SEPTA begins service cuts?
SEPTA is facing a $213 million budget shortfall, so if doesn’t get state funding by Thursday, it would begin “doomsday” cuts on Aug. 24.
SEPTA previously said that the state funding is needed by Thursday because the transit authority needs 10 days to adjust to the possible schedule change. The time will also be used to update the SEPTA app and other information, including digital signs, automated announcements and all bus and train marquees.
SEPTA previously said the proposed cuts will:
Eliminate 32 bus routesShorten 16 bus routesReduce service on the 88 bus, Regional Rail and subway linesCut five Regional Rail lines and the Broad-Ridge Spur subwayReduce all remaining services by 20%Add a 9 p.m. curfew on metro and Regional Rail serviceCancel special service such as sports express trainsRaise fares by 21.5% starting Sept. 1
Reduced Regional Rail service would begin Sept. 2. Trains would come between 20% to 50% less often, meaning during some parts of the weekdays, trains that ran every hour would run every two hours.
“These service cuts are unprecedented, and not just for SEPTA,” Jody Holton, the SEPTA chief planning and strategy officer, said earlier this month. “No major transit agency has had to take steps this drastic.”
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