HARRISBURG, PA — With Pennsylvania’s state budget now 43 days overdue, the fight over mass transit funding has emerged as a central sticking point — and the clock is ticking toward a potential transportation crisis.
House Republicans and Democrats remain sharply divided, even as both acknowledge the stakes: without a funding deal by August 14, SEPTA will begin deep service cuts on August 24, followed by fare hikes in September. Pittsburgh Regional Transit faces similar threats.
House Republican Leader Jesse Topper criticized the “piecemeal approach” to transit funding, warning that showmanship is replacing “meaningful” negotiation and that crises in transit, education, and the economy remain unresolved.
On Monday, the House passed H.B. 1788 for the fifth time — a $292.5 million public transit funding plan paired with $325 million for road and bridge repairs. The bill includes new oversight, safety measures, and fare evasion penalties demanded by Senate Republicans, which both SEPTA and PRT have accepted.
Democrats argue the Senate’s inaction is jeopardizing jobs, mobility, and economic stability. “This bill has everything Senate Republicans have been demanding,” said Transportation Committee Chair Ed Neilson, urging them to “stop the political games because people’s livelihoods are at stake.”
Rep. Sean Dougherty, the bill’s sponsor, stressed the urgency: “We are out of time! The Senate needs to get back to Harrisburg immediately and finally fund public transit, because our state’s well-being truly depends on it.”
The Senate has yet to act, leaving thousands of riders, businesses, and communities bracing for a September defined not by political wins, but by empty buses and delayed trains.
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