Lieutenant Austin Davis rides on the Trenton Septa line to go to a suburban station at the Center City in Philadelphia. (Photo John Cole/Capital-Star)
The State House adopted the Act on financing transport on Tuesday, while lieutenant Austin Davis worked on increasing awareness during a visit to the Philadelphia region regarding the problem that is the front and the center of budget negotiations.
Bill House 1364 He would invest almost $ 300 million novel funds in mass transport and $ 500 million for the repair of roads and bridges, said the chairman of the House Committee for House Ed Neilson (D-Philadelphia).
It attracts, but does not change the existing 6% sales tax. The action devoted to transit financing would raise from 4.4% to 6.15% of all sales tax revenues, increasing a total of $ 1.5 billion in additional financing over the next five years to 52 public transit systems in the whole condition. The act would also allow the governor to create a transport financing committee.
The middle passed by double-sided voting 107-96.
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“This two -sided account introduces critical dollars to public transport in Pennsylvania and adds new funds for the repair of roads and bridges – because people rely on both to reach where they have to go. It is time for the Senate to get this fund this year,” said Shapiro in the statement.
Davis is the son of a regional transit bus driver in Pittsburgh, and on Tuesday the lieutenant governor said the urgency of the adoption of the Transport Act during a press conference at the SEPTA railway station in Croydon, Bucks.
“I want to be clear, public transit is not optional. It’s necessary,” said Davis. “Million Pennsylvania uses public transport every day.”
Davis, Shapiro and other transit supporters are in favor of increased financing of the mass transport agency to avoid cuts and tariff growth because they face structural budget deficits.
The chairman of the board of SEPTA, Ken Lawrence, told Tuesday’s press conference that they are in the face of a structural deficit worth $ 213 million with the end of the federal Covid financing and rising costs. If the transit act is not transferred by the General Assembly in Pennsylvania and signed in accordance with the law, he said that SEPTA would have to reduce the service by 45%, raise fees by 21.5%, eliminate 50 bus routes on five regional rails, including Trenton, which support Croydon. He also said that all railway services will end until 21:00, without financing the state.
Supporters also emphasize that increasing funds will bring benefits of rural and urban communities.
Republican representatives of Joe Hogan, Shelby Labs and Kathleen Tomlinson from Bucks, Tom Mehaffie from Dauphin; Watro data from Schuylkill; Martin White of Philadelphia; and Craig Williams from Delaware voted for BillMost of the legislators are in the area of SEPTA service, while the rest of the GOP club voted in opposition. Every democrat voted for support Billexcept for state representatives. Frank Burns from Cambria and Tarah Probst from Monroe.
During a press conference for mass transit in May, White It called that other legislators did not support the state budget, unless it included additional sept financing.
Before Davis at the entrance to the Trenton line for a ride to a suburban station at the Center City in Philadelphia, he emphasized that this is a priority in the upcoming budget negotiations.
“We will continue to talk to the Senate Republicans, home democrats and budget negotiators for the next 10 days, but I will say it,” said Davis. “This is the highest priority for our administration and, as I said earlier, inactivity is unacceptable.”
Although identical legislation adopted in the Chamber four times last year, did not advance in the Senate controlled by Republicans.
Senator Steve Santarsiero (Do-Bucks), whose district covers the Croydon railway station, called his colleagues to take the vote law.
“Let’s see where everyone is standing in this matter,” said Santarserio on Tuesday at a press conference. “I am glad that I can vote. Why are my colleagues on the other side of the passage who will do it?”
He continued: “People who live in this area, people who rely on sept, people who rely on mass transit in Pittsburgh and other parts of the state, demand voting.”
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Davis called the senate legislators to seek a compromise and said that “there is no place for inactivity.”
“It’s time to remove our red T -shirts and our blue T -shirts and put on our Pennsylvania T -shirts to do this and go our community of the community, and I can’t wait to close this budget process,” said Davis.
Although it is not clear what the Senate will do when they return to the session next week, Ken Lawrence Septa said that although it is still a long way, passing the law at home is a “important step.”
“I am encouraged by progress and I am an optimist,” said Lawrence. “Legislators recognize the value of transit. SEPTA performs work to increase the rider and be safer, more efficient and reliable, and also resonates with clients and financing partners.”
“The voices of our riders and our stakeholders are heard. The tireless efforts of our legislative masters pay off,” he added.
Mass transit agencies throughout the community of nations played an alarm on the upcoming perspective of higher tariffs and reduction of services, which is a problem at the state budget venture for over a year.
In November, Shapiro moved $ 153 million in federal motorway capital funds To sept, so that the agency can refrain from a significant immediate tariff growth and services cuts. This movement was widely criticized by Republicans in the General Assembly, including some who voted in favor transport account on Tuesday.
Davis told The Capital Star that it is not certain whether it would be an option if the budget was slow this year.
“I will say that the dynamics with the federal government is completely different today than in November. When the governor of Shapiro died these funds, he had to be approved by the Federal Department of Transport,” said Davis. “There is a clear administration now than in November. I can’t say whether it will succeed or not, taking into account the current configuration of the federal government.”
Davis added: “We are open to the conclusion of the contract, so we don’t have to reach this point.”
