PHILADELPHIA - The clock is ticking, and Pennsylvania Democratic lawmakers are calling on their Republican counterparts in Harrisburg to act now.
What we know:
Representative Morgan Cephas and other members of the Philadelphia House Delegation held a news conference on Monday morning, urging their GOP counterparts to approve a state budget that includes funding for SEPTA and other mass transit providers before August 24th.
If SEPTA does not get the funding by that deadline, the agency says they will eliminate 32 bus routes and shorten and reduce service on other routes, metro, and regional rail lines.
The budget was passed in the state house and is now in the hands of the state senate.
"Four bills have been sent to the state Senate to consider mass transit funding we’re just waiting for a response," said Representative Jordan Harris, Democratic Appropriations Chairman.
The proposed budget includes $168 million for SEPTA. If SEPTA does not receive the funding, the cuts will come just in time for School District of Philadelphia students to begin classes on August 25th.
What they're saying:
"It is SEPTA that steps up and moves the students around," said Representative Mary Isaacson.
The lawmakers said they wanted to hold the press conference in Republican Senator Joe Picozzi’s district, who introduced legislation on SEPTA, to urge him to call on GOP leadership to take action, though he was not directly invited to the news conference.
In a statement on Monday morning, Picozzi released a statement:
"Since taking office, I have been working to deliver crucial funding to keep our trains and buses running. I have introduced legislation to make SEPTA safer and bring additional accountability, which is supported by SEPTA leadership. This legislation is laying the groundwork for a bipartisan deal to deliver the necessary funding for our public transit system. Bottom line: I’m fighting to save SEPTA through both funding and increased safety and accountability. I’m calling for all Philadelphia leaders to stand together for our city and to work across the aisle to get this done."
Buddy Duffin, a Northeast Philadelphia resident, says walking far is a bit of a challenge, so he is grateful the Route 88 bus stops right outside of his apartment, for now. That’s one of the lines that SEPTA will eliminate come August 24th if they don’t get the funding.
"I take it everywhere," he said. "I take it four days a week to go to my program, and if it stops, it’s going to change up everything."
In a statement FOX 29, Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman said:
"Our state is faced with a structural deficit just like SEPTA. Along with the discussion of any additional dollars for mass transit, this reality necessitates meaningful reforms and accountability measures must be implemented to ensure the long-term success of mass transit."