Philadelphia Transit Campaign
6703 Germantown Avenue
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Dear Concerned Philadelphian,
This morning SEPTA is going to announce that, in the face of a $62 million deficit in the budget year that began July 1, they must prepare to dramatically raise fares and drastically cut services.
Before you start blaming SEPTA, consider this: the fundamental problem for SEPTA is the lack of funding, not how they spend the money they get.
We know that some of you are groaning. Yes, SEPTA can and should do better. But like an overweight person who is bleeding to death, the bleeding must be stopped before the diet can be started.
SEPTA is bleeding to death from cuts in federal and state support for public transportation. In real terms, Pennsylvania’s support for SEPTA has declined for the last 10 years. And federal operating funds for public transportation have all but evaporated. (For more information on the budget crisis and about current legislative proposals to resolve it, visit our web site www.phillytransit.com.)
Unlike most of the public transit systems in the Untied States, SEPTA does not have a reliable, dedicated source of funding. This makes it almost impossible for SEPTA to plan. And it prevents SEPTA from making the investments in the improved service that would increase ridership. It is not just SEPTA that is suffering; every public transportation system in Pennsylvania is in trouble. They all are facing deficits, service cutbacks, and fare hikes.
We are a coalition of neighborhood and advocacy groups fighting for dedicated funding and better SEPTA service. We are writing to urge you to join us in both fights. Let’s fight to get the transit funding we need from Governor Rendell and our state legislators and then fight for the SEPTA service Philadelphia deserves.
We invite you to join our efforts. And the time to do so is now, before SEPTA has to institute the cutbacks and fare increases. We need new transit funding by the end of November as that is when the current session of the state legislature expires. If no new funding is approved by then, SEPTA will be forced to act.
We invite you to a meeting to spur our campaign for new, dedicated funding for SEPTA. The meeting will be at
Central
Library
Free Library of Philadelphia
The Skyline Room
(4th Floor; Take lobby elevator to floor R)
1901 Vine Street
Monday, September 20, 2004
6:30 PM
We hope to involve you in this effort in other ways. We have been sending representatives from the PTC to discuss the public transportation crisis with community groups, civic associations, religious organizations, and labor union locals throughout the Greater Philadelphia region. If you are a leader or member of such a group, please contact us at info@phillytransit.com or (215) 844-4101 to arrange a short presentation at your next meeting.
In addition, we are also sponsoring a critical event, Ticket to Ride Day: On Tuesday, October 5th people from all over Pennsylvania will travel to Harrisburg to campaign for public transportation. We will be arranging for low-cost transportation to Harrisburg so let us know if you would like to join us.
Most of all, when SEPTA announces the fare increases and service cutbacks that will be necessary if they do not receive new funding from the state, please remember this e-mail. Public transit is too important to our communities to give up without a fight. We need you and your friends and neighbors to be fighting with us.
Steering Committee
Philadelphia Transit Camaign
Hilary Aisenstein, Chair of the Green Party of Philadelphia
Belinda Davis, Northwest Greens
Peter Javsicas, Executive Director, PenTrans
Lance Haver, Director of the Office of Consumer Affairs, City of Philadelphia
Marc Stier,
President,
PS Please forward this email to your friends and ask them to show their support for public transportation by sign up to received future emails at our website www.phillytransit.com
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