When Septa proposed cutting almost half of his service, people in the whole region expressed a shock on Thursday, realizing the depth of the fiscal crisis that could mutilate the transit network.
“I was very desperate,” when I found out about the plan, 71 -year -old pious Septa Phil Blumenkrantz rider, waiting for the bus in front of the suburban station.
IN Proposed $ 2.6 billion budget for activities and capital projects, up to 55 bus routes have been eliminated, five regional closed railway lines and 66 closed stations. This is the worst scenario. These The cuts would take place in two phases, this fall and January 1Without fresh state money, he claims that the transit agency.
Blumenkrantz, who lives in southern Philadelphia and enters mainly on bike and buses, hopes for rescue.
“I can probably live with it, waiting longer for buses, having fewer bus lines,” said Blumenkrantz. “But I can’t wait for what I can’t wait for.”
Supporters of public transport, selected officials and business leaders have gone to martial law, sweeping to fight for fresh state financing of SEPTA, tries to eliminate the annual structural deficit of USD 213 million.
On Friday, public officials and supporters are planning at 11 am in the town hall. State transport secretary Michael B. Carroll is expected to participate.
And yet, despite the entire protest and anxiety on Thursday, no sign appeared about the ending of the financing of Harrisburg Sept Septa, as he said, forced him to the edge.
The tariff growth by 21.5% came into force in autumn. The base septa tariff will raise to USD 2.90, which in this happened to New York for the most high-priced ride.
Senate’s state leader, Joe Pittman (R., Indiana), confirmed the progress of Sept in reducing costs and increasing revenues with higher tariffs – but he said that the state government of Pennsylvania must connect its own expected budget gap worth $ 4.5 billion.
“Considering my own financial struggle, I think that septa should appreciate the fiscal deficit of our nations community and come to the table with more modest requests,” said Pittman in a statement. “This burden should not be entirely imposed on taxpayers from Pennsylvania, most of which do not live in the region of services and do not provide any benefits from Sept.”
But the announcement of Sept shows that the agency “can no longer wait,” said Governor Josh Shapiro during a performance at the Packer Avenue maritime terminal in southern Philadelphia. “Time for action is now.”
In his last two budgets, Shapiro proposed historical levels of state financing not only for Sept, but also transit systems in Pennsylvania, many of which are in the face of fiscal crises. House Democrats adopted the proposed increases in transit assistance three times just to stop in the Senate controlled by Republicans.
Septa raised tariffs by 7.5% in November and pulled out of cash reserves to avoid cuts.
However, he was able to close the deficit only after Shapiro redirected $ 153 million to federal financing of motorways to the agency, which is a procedure known as “bending”.
The governor said that he was to give sept a respiratory room and legislators to develop a double -sided financing plan. It didn’t happen.
“We will all cooperate, as in the past, to find a double -sided contract,” Shapiro said on Thursday. “We must make sure that we will do it during mass transit.”
SEPTA officials willingly talk to Pittman and others to find a feasible solution, but describe cuts as reflecting an straightforward assessment of what must happen without state aid, which would allow us to continue today’s levels of service.
“I am not a person who transmits messages, hidden or in a different way,” said the transient director of Scott Sauer, asked at a press conference whether the destruction plan was a political bluff.
The city council joined the chorus.
“My council district is the only one in which the majority of residents do not strive for work,” said Jamie Gauthier member of West Philly. “We rely on sept to earn money, get to school and access the necessary healthcare. I am trembling to think about catastrophic damage that will be caused.”
Council member Nicolas O’Rourke, a member of the progressive party of working families, said during a speech in the council on Thursday that the wrinkled partition would threaten the city’s ability to deal with the main events planned for 2026.
“Septa would not be able to support the World Cup,” said O’Rourke. “They would not be able to support other celebrations on the occasion of 250. [U.S.] Anniversary next year. “
Nelson Bradley said that the proposed 21.5% tariff increases would be painful for many SEPTA working -class riders.
“It will probably attract in the pocket of some people,” said 55 -year -old Bradley, waiting for a bus near a suburban station. “It will hurt many people.”
Now Bradley is afraid of what he predicts will be an even more high-priced monthly pass, and is suspicious of what other, less noticeable cuts that Septa will have to do.
For Rose Jennings, a senior citizen from Philadelphia, septa is more than a bus service.
“This is a line of life, especially for the elderly and the disabled,” she said, waiting for her bus near the Primark store to Market Street.
In political categories, the justification of SEPTA to legislators from other parts of the state boiled down to an enlightened interest of their own: not supporting its risk of refueling the greatest share of the state economy, a dense region that needs transit to move.
According to recent research, Econsult for Seltelphia and its four suburban poviats generate 38% of the general income of the state.
The region produces 41% of the state’s economic production. Thirty -two percent of Pennsylvania lives in the southeast.
The cuts will “certainly attract attention,” said Ken Lawrence from Montgomery, chairman of the SEPTA board. “We pay for roads and bridges here in places that I will never go and I will never go to them. … We’re all this time.”
The latest proposed Shapiro budget would cover an additional USD 292 million per year for five years for transit systems. It is estimated that $ 165 million would go to SEPTA.
Representative of the state Morgan Cephas, a democrat of Philadelphia, who in the past played additional funds for septa, appreciates Pittman’s political account.
“I understand that you may not ride on our system or you may not ride on the Pittsburgh system, and you ask:” Why should I invest, considering that I have no ingredients who vote for me who ride on systems? ” – said Cephas.
It’s a game of giving. “We have to invest in ourselves so that Pennsylvania can develop,” said Cephas.
Staff writers Katie Bernard, Fallon Roth and Sean Collins Walsh contributed to this article.
