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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | September 24, 2024 11:10 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Marty Flynn |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Public Transit Funding Increase |
| Last week, the Senate Transportation Committee held a public hearing to receive testimony on “Optimizing Pennsylvania’s Multimodal Transportation System”, which included discussions on public transit funding. It became very clear that need for reliable, consistent, and efficient public transportation systems, of which there are 53 statewide, is crucial for Pennsylvania’s prosperity and success. The benefits of public transit extend far and beyond moving riders from place to place. For example, public transit vastly reduces traffic congestion and is more energy efficient, while producing less carbon emissions, than personal vehicle travel. Even more, nearly 17,000 workers across Pennsylvania are employed by a transit system. The direct and indirect economic impacts to the local economy and Commonwealth are measured in the billions of dollars. According to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), for every $1 invested in public transportation, the result equates to approximately $4 generated in economic returns through job creation, business development, and increased property values. Our public transit systems have been steadfast in their message to the General Assembly. They face a fiscal cliff without additional funding, and without which is certain to result in fare increases and reduced services. For reference, the last time that the General Assembly approved a major increase of funding to our public transit systems was via Act 89 of 2013. Since then, inflation has continued to rise, and the buying power of the dollar has diminished. We are all affected by rising costs and the transit systems are no different. That is why we, as the General Assembly, must act to ensure that public transportation is funded appropriately and adequately. Soon, I will introduce legislation increasing funding to public transit systems via an increased share of the sales tax. Utilizing this approach, we will provide the necessary funding to our transit partners without a subsequent tax increase to the taxpayers of this Commonwealth. Please consider joining me as a co-sponsor of this critical legislation, ensuring that public transportation across the Commonwealth is funded appropriately and adequately for years to come. |
Introduced as SB1334