The head of SEPTA has asked the governor to pull from a transportation fund to cover its budget shortfall after a political impasse.
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s general manager, Scott Sauer, wrote to PennDOT on Friday requesting “one-time use” of state funding earmarked for SEPTA improvement projects for SEPTA’s operating costs, according to a letter obtained by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The request aligns with the plan state Senate Republicans had proposed as a counter to the Democrat-led House proposal that would’ve allocated more sales tax to fund SEPTA instead. Republicans had advanced legislation to fund SEPTA by pulling from the capital fund as a stopgap measure.
SEPTA moved ahead with significant service cuts last month amid the budget impasse in the General Assembly, but a judge blocked additional service cuts and fare hikes amid a lawsuit over the effect of the cuts on marginalized people.
SEPTA has been requesting additional funding for years, Sauer wrote in the letter, and this measure doesn’t solve the problem.
“Transferring capital funds to operating — with no commitment to replace them — is not a sustainable long-term solution to SEPTA’s current budget crisis,” Sauer wrote, adding that the lawsuit and political impasse had forced their hand.
“SEPTA is required to continue to provide a level of service that is unsustainable without further operating funds,” Sauer wrote. “We are faced with no other option thanto request this waiver.”
State Senate Republicans celebrated SEPTA’s move toward their proposal, which Sen. Frank Farry (R-Langhorne) called “an important step toward stability for the immediate future.”
“It makes sense to use a surplus in a dedicated transportation fund rather than drawing from the Sales and Use which Democrats proposed and which would have put education, seniors, and veterans programs at risk.”
The decision to draw from the capital fund now rests with Gov. Josh Shapiro. “The Shapiro administration is reviewing this request and determining next steps,” Shapiro spokesperson Manuel Bonder said on Sep. 5.
Jess Rohan can be reached at jrohan@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: SEPTA asks PA Gov. Shapiro to OK transportation funding as stopgap
