This legislative session is rapidly drawing to a close but there is still
time for the legislature to pass legislation guaranteeing a dedicated and
adequate funding stream for public transit systems across the state. This is
an issue that affects all Pennsylvanians because we cannot have a healthy
economy with failing and shrinking public transportation systems!

Background

Transit systems across the state need additional public funding. SEPTA in
Philadelphia faces a $62.2 million deficit. The Port Authority Transit (PAT)
in the Pittsburgh area projects a $30 million shortfall. Cuts to balance their budgets, if no additional state aid is forthcoming, are proposed primarily in evening and weekend service. These cuts will impact low-income workers without cars including many participating in welfare to work programs; transportation to medical appointments, pharmacies and grocery stores; retail establishments and restaurants whose staff rides the bus; office cleaning staffs; students; and many others in need of public transportation outside of daytime business hours.

Transit is also a problem outside Pennsylvania's two largest urban areas.
There are small urban transit systems in cities of 50,000 to 200,000
population. There are 19 transit authorities in rural towns such as Bradford, DuBois, Punxsutawney and Clearfield. There are van-based systems that provide door-to-door services in all types of areas all across the state serving elderly and infirm citizens, students and low-income people.
These systems are also experiencing funding problems. Health care costs for employees and rising fuel costs are among the factors creating this crisis. Some smaller transit systems are using reserve funds meant for vehicle maintenance and replacement for day-to-day operating expenses.

Senate Bill 1162 and House Bill 2697 provide additional funding for public
transit. These bills remove the $75 million cap placed on sales tax revenue
dedicated to transit under Act 3 of 1997. They provide an additional 3.22%
existing sales tax revenue to public transportation which will generate
approximately $282 million statewide. Of this amount, 61.8% is allocated to
Philadelphia, 22.5% to Allegheny County (Pittsburgh area), 12.4% to other
transit systems across the state, and 3.4% for research and planning initiatives.

It might be more satisfying to see these funds allocated from liquid fuel
taxes, rather than from sales taxes that fund education, but the use of
liquid fuel taxes for anything other than highways and bridges is currently
prohibited by the state constitution - possibly a future issue. At present,
the worker, well educated or not, who cannot get to a job is not well served
by the lack of public funds for transit. There is some possibility that votes for the passage of these bills will be traded for votes for an increased gasoline tax by some legislators for whom roads are a priority.

Action Needed

In the few days between the election and the end of the legislative session
(November 30 by constitutional mandate) these bills need to be sent to the
floor from the House and Senate transportation committees and passed.
Leagues and League members should urge their legislators to help get these bills to the floor and vote for them. Some key legislators are Sen. David Brightbill (District 48), the Senate Majority Leader who controls the Senate calendar; Senate Floor Leader Jeffery Piccola (District 15); House Majority Leader Samuel Smith (District 66) who controls the House calendar; and House Floor Leader John Michael Perzel (District 172). Also important are the Transportation Committee chairs: Roger A. Madigan (District 23), majority, and J. Barry Stout (District 46), minority, in the Senate and Richard A. Geist (District 79), majority, and Keith R. McCall (District 122), minority,
in the House.

Finally, these bills need the support of the Governor who has indicated that
he will sign them if they come to his desk, but has not made them a priority
in his legislative agenda. Leagues and League members should insist that the Governor move passage of these bills to a high position in his list of
priorities for the remainder of this legislative session and give them his
greatest effort.

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