Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility Chester County House Democrats call on Senate to fund mass transit

Chester County House Democrats call on Senate to fund mass transit

WEST CHESTER, Aug. 7 – State Rep. Chris Pielli, D-Chester, along with all Chester County House Democrats and other elected officials, rallied at the West Chester Transportation Center today to call on the state Senate to fund SEPTA and other mass transit systems in Pennsylvania.

The news conference comes a week before SEPTA says it needs funding in place to continue normal operations. On Aug. 24, SEPTA will make cuts to its train, bus, and trolley lines throughout the Greater Philadelphia Area.

“Time’s up! The GOP-controlled state Senate has fled Harrisburg,” Pielli said. “My colleagues and I in the state House did our jobs: We passed House Bill 1364, a bill that not only meets SEPTA’s funding needs, not only pledges more than $292 million to public transportation across our commonwealth, but also puts forth approximately $500 million for road and bridge repair in all 67 counties in Pennsylvania. All without raising a single penny in taxes. The Southeast Region of PA delivers 40% of all revenue in the entire state, yet we only get 19% back in government services. This is taxation without transportation, and we are sick and tired of Republicans playing fast and loose with our money.”

“As SEPTA officials noted yesterday – Senate Republicans have exactly one week to return to Harrisburg and finally act on mass transit funding proposals that have passed the House before the debilitating and completely avoidable cuts to services and fare increases will begin to take effect,” state Sen. Katie Muth, D-Chester, said. “We cannot continue to allow failed leadership, corporate special interests, and partisan politics to hold our taxpayer dollars hostage. Accessible, affordable, reliable, and convenient public transportation is critical to quality of life, economic stability, and public safety. Thank you to my Chester County House Democratic colleagues, Senator Comitta and Senator Kane for their advocacy and dedication in this important fight to fund mass transit and avoid any disruption to the services that our constituents rely on.”

“Not only does SEPTA face a very real financial deadline, Chester County residents face a bleak new reality with significant reductions in service – including all along regional rail – threatening commuters, local communities, and small businesses,” state Rep. Paul Friel, D-Chester, said. “We have relied on SEPTA to move people and drive commerce for over 60 years, and now it’s time we answer their call. SEPTA is simply too valuable in Chester County to lose. Anyone who lives here knows that firsthand.”

"Mass transit funding is critical to all 67 counties and cities like Coatesville and other parts of the 74th District," said state Rep. Dan Williams, D-Chester. "Mass transit provides not just a way to work. It provides a way of life. It's past time our senators got back to work in Harrisburg and approved state funding for SEPTA. Funding public transit means more money for our communities, more people on the job and safer neighborhoods. The House passed a transit plan in June that provides vital funding to keep SEPTA moving. The Senate skipped town. Our message to the Senate is simple: Do your jobs and get this funding across the finish line."

“The Paoli-Thorndale line runs through my district, and it is the heartbeat of our community,” said state Rep. Melissa Shusterman, D-Chester. “I want to emphatically echo the voices of my neighbors who have shared with me that public transit is not a luxury, it is a lifeline. If transit stops, we all stop.”

“Many people rely on SEPTA buses to keep their jobs and provide for their families,” state Rep. Kristine Howard, D-Chester, said. “Much of our attention throughout this budget ordeal has been focused on Regional Rail – on the Paoli/Thorndale Line specifically – but I don’t want to lose sight of the wider picture.”

“Workers, students, and seniors in Chester County rely on SEPTA to get to jobs, schools and medical appointments, and our small businesses rely on SEPTA to bring their employees to work,” state Rep. Danielle Friel Otten, D-Chester, said. “If we fail to reach a funding agreement and provide critical support for transit, it would mean more traffic on our roads and a huge hit to the economy in southeastern PA, which is the major economic engine for the rest of the state. SEPTA service cuts would be an enormous loss for our region and for our Commonwealth.”

“If the proposed SEPTA service cuts go into effect on Aug. 24, working families, students, and communities in suburban, rural, and urban areas will suffer,” said state Rep. Christina Sappey, D-Chester. “People in the 158th District rely on routes like the 104 bus and regional rail lines like the Paoli/Thorndale and Wilmington/Newark to get to jobs, classes, and essential appointments. Cutting these lifelines will force more cars onto the road, adding traffic, pollution, and safety risks. The House has done its job by passing transit funding. Now it’s time for the Senate to step up, get back to work, and protect public transit for everyone who depends on it.”