Rendell not optimistic on SEPTA funding

By G.W. MILLER III

millerg@phillynews.com

December 2, 2004

Overpowered by a Republican majority within the Legislature, Gov. Rendell couldn't push through an amendment on Tuesday to rescue cash-strapped SEPTA.

Yesterday, Rendell said that he was "not overly optimistic" about finding stop-gap funding that could float the system for the fiscal year.

Without the last-minute financing, the SEPTA board will convene today to discuss fare hikes and service reductions to make up for the projected $62 million budget shortage.

At stake is possibly all weekend service, evening weekday service, a 25 percent fare increase and the loss of 1,400 jobs.

Hundreds of pink slips have already been mailed, said SEPTA spokesman Richard Maloney.

"The board is required by law to balance the budget and now they have two options available to them, raise fares, reduce service or some combination of both," said Maloney.

When the two-year state legislative session ended on Tuesday, the transit funding proposal was stranded. The bill, proposed by State Rep. Dwight Evans, D-Phila., would have raised motor vehicle title and inspection fees, among other vehicle related expenses, and produced an estimated $111.5 million annually for dedicated public transit funding throughout the state.

"There are a lot of rural legislators," said Beth Williams, spokeswoman for House Speaker John Perzel, R-Phila. "Are they going to support something if their constituents are going to be taxed for something they don't reap the benefits from?"

Evans plans to reintroduce the bill when the Legislature returns on Jan. 4.

In the meantime, he is hoping the governor comes through with flex funding, a short-term fix that would redirect money from other state projects.

"We're working very very hard - I don't mean to sound like President Bush here - but it is hard work to cobble together a package that, at least for a short period of time, forestalls these cuts and layoffs," Rendell said at the State of the Region breakfast in Cherry Hill.

SEPTA is the nation's fifth largest transit system serving about one million riders daily.

"This will affect the entire region," said Marc Stier, of the Philadelphia Transit Campaign, a rider's advocacy group. "This will be a blow to students who rely on mass transit to get to school, it will hurt senior citizens, it will hurt the poor who can't afford the increase."

Service reductions would begin on Jan. 23. The fare hike would take effect on Jan. 1.

"I'm going to try to do something," Rendell said, "but I'm not overly optimistic."