Pennsylvania Senate introduces plan for SEPTA funding, but Gov. Shapiro calls it "not a serious" proposal
Republican state Sen. Joe Picozzi, of Northeast Philadelphia, introduced an amendment that would fund mass transit for the next two years. Picozzi's amendment was approved in the state Senate by a 27 to 22 vote.
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."
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.
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.
"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.
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