16 hours ago
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis stops in Pittsburgh to stress importance of transportation spending bill
A battle over mass transit funding continues between Pennsylvania House Democrats and Senate Republicans as Pennsylvania enters another week without a budget.
That's why the Shapiro administration hit the road across the Commonwealth on Sunday, stressing the importance of the latest transportation spending bill being approved.
Meanwhile, Senate Republicans say they still have concerns with the latest proposal.
"The governor and I have proposed nearly $300 million of investment in this system to keep our systems running," Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis (D) said. "Nearly one million people across Pennsylvania depend on our transportation systems."
House lawmakers were in session Friday, where Democrats hope to shift $300 million in sales tax revenue to mass transit agencies.
"Forty to fifty percent of buses on this busway would not run as of February next year, if we don't have sustainable, long-term funding," Pittsburgh Regional Transit CEO Katherine Kellerman said.
Pressure is now looming as potential major service cuts for public transit are on the line.
"I think here in Pittsburgh, particularly, we were able to land the NFL Draft for next year. Part of them selecting Pittsburgh was because of our transportation system. We put that and many other things at risk if we don't pass the transportation funding bill," Lt. Gov. Davis said.
Senate Republicans say they want to see it resolved, but not with taxpayers paying more.
"They will cause a tax increase to taxpayers, all the bills they have will cost a tax increase, maybe not this year, but yes, next year or the year after," Sen. Kim Ward (R) said.
Sen. Ward says, instead, funding for mass transit should come from the state's $2.3 billion trust fund.
"There is not an emergency that the final bill is passed immediately. There is funding available if they will just accept it and take it," Sen. Ward said. "I find it really ironic that they won't touch that fund. They won't touch it, but yet, they're asking all of Pennsylvania to touch their rainy day fund."
As Senate Republicans plan to head back to Harrisburg this week to discuss funding, the Shapiro administration said Sunday that the time to act is now.
"We're here with a single message. It is time for Senate Republicans to break their vacation. Come back to Harrisburg and do the work to fund mass transit here in Pittsburgh, but all across our great Commonwealth," Lt. Gov. Davis said.
Nearly one million Pennsylvanians rely on mass transit every day, and the governor says the current proposal would invest in 52 systems, serving cities, suburbs, and rural communities across the state.
