Pa. Senate Republicans' plan to fund SEPTA faces strong opposition from House Democrats

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WPVI) -- The Republican-controlled Pennsylvania State Senate voted Tuesday night to approve a plan to fund SEPTA and avert drastic service cuts, but the Democratic leader in the state House told Action News the measure is essentially a non-starter.

Republicans put forth an amended bill that would allow SEPTA to use capital improvement funds for operating expenses.

Lawmakers say the bill would tap the the state's transporation trust fund for roughly $300 million in additional funding for mass transit, with around $160 million going to SEPTA.

"This proposal is the only viable plan to keep service running past the August deadline. By enacting this legislation, it gives us the breathing room to design a better, safer, more accountable transit system for the next generation and the 21st century," said Pa. Sen. Joe Picozzi (R-Philadelphia).

Democrats say that money is already earmarked for other projects. Republicans say they can't get answers on what projects.

"There is $2.4 billion in transit funding sitting in a PennDOT bank account, sitting here in Harrisburg," said Pa. Sen. Frank Farry (R-Bucks County).

The bill calls for audits, more oversight, and safety benchmarks for SEPTA, but also includes fare increases every other year down the road.

Pa. Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia) calls that a disgrace.

"You get two years of additional state support, and the translation to that on the other side is that you get mandated fare increases in perpetuity. Forever," Hughes said.

The Senate's amended bill will now head back to the House.

However, House Democratic Leader Matt Bradford told Action News the amended bill has little chance of passing there.

"Raiding the trust fund and redirecting capital funding without sufficient, sustainable and recurring revenue will not avert this funding crisis," Bradford (D-Montgomery County) said. "This will not pass the House."

It's not known when the House would take up the bill.

RELATED: 'We are left with no other choice': SEPTA announces new service schedules if funding is not passed

SEPTA GM Scott Sauer said in a statement Tuesday night that the agency will "remain in close contact with all parties in this negotiation as we continue to await a solution that will provide adequate, sustainable funding for SEPTA's future."

SEPTA has said that on Thursday it will begin a 10-day preparation period for 20% across-the-board service cuts. Those take effect Aug. 24 and include eliminating bus routes with lower ridership and reducing the frequency of bus, trolley and rail services across the region.

Under the plan, fares will then rise by 21.5% on Sept. 1 for the system's approximately 800,000 daily riders. A weekday ride would rise from $2.50 to $2.90 on a bus, train or trolley, it said.

Soon after, the agency would impose a hiring freeze and carry out additional service cuts by Jan. 1 that will mean it will have eliminated half its current services, it has said. That will include cutting more regional rail and bus routes and imposing a 9 p.m. curfew on rail services, some of which go as late as 1:30 a.m. currently.

Democrats say shoring up public transit agencies around the state is critical to the economy and making sure people can get to work, school and medical appointments.

Republicans have objected that transit agencies need to become more efficient, highways need more state funding and transit riders should pay higher fares.

Transit agencies in Pittsburgh and elsewhere around Pennsylvania also say they are making cuts or raising fares, or both.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.