Philadelphia Transit Campaign

Philadelphia Transit Campaign

6703 Germantown Avenue • Philadelphia, PA 19119 • (267) 295-2040 • info@phillytransit.com • www.phillytransit.com

Contact Speaker of the House John Perzel NOW!

Demand that the General Assembly return to Harrisburg next week to address the public transit funding crisis.

Phone: 215-331-2600

Fax: 215-708-3135

The General Assembly left Harrisburg early Sunday morning without addressing the public transit crisis funding facing SEPTA and the Port Authority of Allegheny County. (They did, however, appropriate $6 million for transit systems in small cities and counties.)

As a result of this failure, SEPTA is facing devastating cutbacks and fare increases.

The House of Representatives and Senate have until the end of November to return to Harrisburg to rescue SEPTA. The Philadelphia Transit Campaign has written to Speaker Perzel asking him to recall the House of Representatives. We are asking you to join us in contacting Speaker Perzel TODAY! Pleae urge him to act now to save public transit in the Greater Philadelphia area.

We understand that comity has broken down between the Republican leaders of the State House and Senate and Governor Rendell. But, as we wrote Speaker Perzel, "Whatever the problems your party’s leadership has with Governor Rendell, they should not lead to hundreds of thousands of people suffering without transit service."

We also wrote that, "We are not interested in affixing blame for the impending crisis. Instead we are asking for your leadership to craft a solution." All sides have been slow in addressing the transit funding crisis. Two weeks ago, in Harrisburg, we badgered Governor Rendell because he had not shown enough leadership on this issue. Soon after we met with his deputy chief of staff, Governor Rendell publicly supported Rep. Evans proposal for raising the revenues necessary for transit funding. Now we believe that the Republican leadership of the General Assembly has to bring the legislature back to Harrisburg and forge an agreement with Governor Rendell.

The Republican leadership has claimed that Governor Rendell can transfer $54 million of Federal Highway funds to public transportation. While this may be part of a short-term solution, it would provide barely half the amount of money necessary to keep SEPTA and the Port Authority transit systems running between now and June. More is needed just to address our short-term needs. And, ultimately, transferring money from one form of transportation to another is not the solution. We need to support public transit and repair the roads and bridges throughout the Commonwealth.

Steering Committee
Philadelphia Transit Campaign