The war of words about mass transit and the lack of adoption of the FY26 state budget is constantly growing as a key republican member of the Committee of Menings, says that democrats must stop playing politics.
Chairman of the Senate Committee Scott Martin (R-LANCASTER/BERKS) Cried Governor Josh Shapiro and his colleagues from Pennsylvania Democrats for lack of work with Republicans in order to accept a budget, which is already eight weeks after June 30.
Martin noticed that Shapiro has existing powers to provide financing from the Public Transport Fund (PTTF) in order to support additional operational expenses for mass transport agencies to prevent further cuts of services. “Governor Shapiro has the right to get money immediately for SEPTA – without any further legislative actions – but so far he has not shown readiness,” added Martin.
Under 67 PA. Code 427.6 (b)The Shapiro administration has the right to allow the employ of capital assistance funds for operational assistance for up to one year. This language, in particular, provides permission to transfer capital funds for operational assistance, if you need support to prevent cuts of services that have already been implemented by the south -eastern Pennsylvania Transport Authority (Septa).
PTTF has a current balance of over $ 2.4 billion. It is more than enough to finance the governor’s application for an additional 292.5 million dollars of mass transit financing for a budget year 2025-26 without a threat to a single project to improve assets anywhere in Pennsylvania, said Martin. Every year, Capital Capital receives over half a billion dollars of modern taxpayers.
In media interviews on Monday, the Governor of Shapiro admitted that the Senate Republican proposal to employ a surplus of PTTF money can be part of a solution to direct problems in which mass transit faces.
“This is part of what we mean when we say that the cuts of partitions are a crisis produced,” said Martin. “Governor has already died $ 153 million in federal financing away from planned road projects and bridges to support sept last year because he said he needs money. Why he would not use his authority now to enable mass transport agencies to use unused funds that are specially dedicated to mass transit? Perform. “
“Governor Shapiro falsely claimed at the beginning of this week that the Republicans of the Senate were maintaining the adoption of the budget for political profits, even when he and his allies, Democrat took advantage of every opportunity to lose mud on our leadership and our members in the southeast,” said Martin. “When your site organizes rallies, press conferences and protests every day and calling for individual legislators who work hard to find solutions, how do you have the anger of the other party to play politics?”
