Republican lawmakers in Pennsylvania are pushing back on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s (D-PA) unilateral decision to divert more than $150 million in federal highway funding to help Philadelphia’s fledgling mass transit system, claiming the move hurts their districts while providing relief for Democratic-leaning ones.
“I watched Gov. Shapiro’s announcement about SEPTA funding with great interest as I am always concerned when unilateral decisions are made regarding tax dollars,” Rep. Jesse Topper (R-PA) posted on social media. “There is a reason we have a legislative process and diverting money away from its legislative intent is a dangerous precedent.”
Topper added that “budgeting” is about priorities.
“If mass transit is a priority for the Governor, then he must work with us to fix it through the budget process,” he said. “Should he insist on governing through unilateral action, I know we share priorities on things like school choice that could also use immediate attention. Otherwise, I am not sure this action helps build the much needed environment of trust and mutual respect needed for success in the upcoming session.”
Shapiro said Friday that he will divert more than $150 million in federal highway funding to provide a one-time injection of cash to help the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, or SEPTA, avoid cutbacks and steep fare hikes. His announcement was met with criticism from Republican lawmakers who said their districts will suffer as a result.
The money move comes as federal COVID-19 relief for transit agencies is phasing out and those agencies are struggling to regain ridership lost during the pandemic.
Shapiro said the $153 million will help SEPTA maintain services and keep fares down until state lawmakers can come to an agreement on a wider transportation funding deal next summer.
Pennsylvania’s Senate Republicans argued that mass transit for Philadelphia cannot be negotiated without addressing the infrastructure challenges facing the rest of the state.
“There are things that we need throughout the commonwealth, not just the public transportation and SEPTA,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward (R-PA). “There might be a compromise. Hopefully there is, but it’s going to have to come down to making sure that every area of the commonwealth for transportation is addressed, not just one sector.”
Pennsylvania’s roads and bridges have been rated among the worst in the nation.
On Monday, Shapiro spokesman Manuel Bonder told the Washington Examiner that the “bad faith argument simply does not hold up.”
“As Gov. Shapiro made very clear, he prioritizes the needs of all Pennsylvania communities — rural, suburban, urban,” Bonder said. “Just as his administration has repaired 7,000 miles of roads and repaired more poor-condition bridges than any other state in the past year, the governor is taking action to keep mass transit that powers our economy in southeast Pennsylvania running.”
Bonder added that the funding being flexed is from projects that are not currently under construction nor have they been bid on yet.
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“There’s no good reason to keep that money on our balance sheet when it can be put to use to solve an urgent problem and deliver for Pennsylvanians,” he said.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, a Democrat, called SEPTA the “lifeline of Philadelphia” and said Shapiro’s decision “prevents hardship for our communities while laying the groundwork for long-term solutions.”