HARRISBURG – Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Scott Martin (R-Lancaster) said today that SEPTA’s request to use existing funding from the $2.5 billion Public Transportation Trust Fund to avoid service cuts uses key elements of a solution identified last month by Senate Republicans.
“The funding requested by SEPTA today serves as a clear acknowledgement that the money is available to be used for operational needs, just as we’ve said for the past three weeks. We now have an opportunity to move beyond the political games played by the Governor and his Democrat allies and focus on the real reforms that need to happen.
“It’s important to note that today’s action is only part of the solution. We still have an urgent need to address safety and accountability to improve the system. SEPTA has been receptive to many of these ideas previously, and I remain hopeful we can implement these critical reforms soon to give riders a safer, better and more efficient transit system.
“Senators Picozzi, Farry and Pennycuick have worked tirelessly with the Senate Republican leadership team for months to advance these goals and protect SEPTA riders, and their efforts deserve our thanks and recognition.”
CONTACT: Jason Thompson