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PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT KENYATTA JOHNSON PRAISES PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR JOSH SHAPIRO FOR ANNOUNCEMENT OF INCREASED FUNDING FOR MASS TRANSIT STATEWIDE |
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PHILADELPHIA, PA (January 29, 2024)—Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson (Second District) released the following written statement today: “Thank you to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro for his plan to invest nearly $283 Million in new state funding for public transit as part of his upcoming budget. “Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker and I sent the Governor a letter this weekend urging him to increase funding for SEPTA. “Without additional investments, SEPTA will be forced to cut service levels and increase fares — setting off a chain of negative consequences for local residents and businesses, the regional economy and, over time, commonwealth tax revenues. “Public transit is critically important to the economic success of the Greater Philadelphia Region. Philadelphia is the number one big city in the nation when it comes to poverty and one way to reduce poverty is to provide jobs, but people can’t get to the jobs if they do not have affordable travel options and SEPTA is that option. “Shapiro’s new measure would generate an estimated $1.5 billion over the next five years by increasing the allocation of sales tax revenue dedicated to supporting commonwealth transit systems. SEPTA would get the largest cut of the funding. “I urge the Pennsylvania State House and Senate to approve the proposed Pennsylvania state budget with Governor Shapiro’s investment in mass transit statewide.” |
