Harrisburg, PA (Wednesday, August 12, 2025)–Aday, with the state budget in Pennsylvania, six delayed and transit weeks throughout the races of the Community of Nations towards the upcoming financial cliffs, the Republican Senate of Advanced House Bill 257, a law that would rob the transit financing agencies for basic repair, maintenance and security measures. Senator of State Nikil Saval (D -Philadelphia) He voted not for the law and issued the following statement:
“Public transport is an indispensable life supporting service, used by a million Pennsylvania every day, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and increasing over $ 5 billion of business activity each year.
Almost a third of the inhabitants of Pennsylvania lives in poviats served by Sept, including my voters, and the transit agency is only days from forcing the cuts of services that will destroy our region and harm our entire community.
Instead of looking for a solution to the upcoming crisis, my colleagues from the majority party brought a vote in a proposal that robbed transit agencies in the amount of over 838 million dollars of dedicated funds – and devotes half the money on projects that have nothing to do with transit. It is simply cuts services after a different name. HB257 robs from the elderly and the disabled. He strips from children and students. He strips from teachers. Strips from employees. And it robs the future of our nations community. Taking money from the capital fund will make Septa and other transit agencies less unthreatening, less unthreatening and much more hard to launch. It prevents agencies such as septa to maintain aging fleets, not to mention the implementation of the necessary changes, so that our transit system is faster, more reliable and more accessible to those it serves.
Today, many of my colleagues, who previously announced transit supporters, voted in favor of rejecting the amendment that would finance the sept. Instead, they presented and adopted an amendment that would contribute to its fall – with the authorized tariff growth in order to continue punishing those who rely on it.
This is not only an unlike proposition, but a risky. Launching this account a few weeks after the state budget due shows the soulless disregard of life and the means of subsistence of all Pennsylvania who utilize public transport.
What our community needs and deserves its legislators is leadership, for those of us who have the honor to sit on the Senate floor to do our work and serve the residents of Pennsylvania.
The Republicans of the Senate for weeks maintained our hostage, refusing to come to the table with a contract, which offers a real chance for the future of Pennsylvanians who rely on their government investment not only in public transport, but also in unthreatening bridges and roads, public services, health care and food services.
Pennsylvania can no longer wait. Never again delays. We need a budget that invests in the community throughout the community of nations, including full financing of transit infrastructure, which supports our lives. And we need it now. “
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