(The following story by Regina Medina appeared on the Philadelphia Daily News website on April 22.)
PHILADELPHIA — SEPTA officials are looking at a $70 million deficit for its fiscal 2005 budget that its general manager, Faye Moore, calls “one of the greatest financial crises in the history of SEPTA.”
The agency has proposed a $920 million budget and has not asked for fare boosts or service cutbacks.
Not yet, at least.
What SEPTA is asking for is “long-term predictable funding,” said agency spokesman Richard Maloney.
“We need a source of revenue from the state,” he said. “Probably a tax, but it wouldn’t have to be.”
State legislators have not increased the subsidy to SEPTA in six of the past nine years, Maloney said. If the state had given the agency a 3 percent cost of living each of the last nine years, “we’d be hunky-dory,” he said.
SEPTA will hold public hearings next month in the five-county area, urging citizens to lobby their state legislators to pass such a tax or subsidy.
“SEPTA riders have to realize that unless there is long term predictable funding from the state, their ride is in jeopardy,” Maloney said.
Also, SEPTA officials will provide general information on possible options for the deficit, “including steep fare increases and significant service reductions,” according to a news release.
SEPTA won’t be proposing fare hikes or service cutbacks at next month’s hearings, Maloney said. But, if the state doesn’t come through with “predictable funding,” the authority will hold public hearings in the fall when it will propose such measures, Maloney said.
And the agency meanwhile has formed a coalition of community groups, riders, business leaders, labor leaders to persuade state government for increased subsidies, Maloney said.
The SEPTA Board will meet today at 10 a.m. at SEPTA Headquarters, 1234 Market St., Center City. The meeting will be held in the board room on the mezzanine level.
Next month’s public hearings in Philadelphia will be held May 20 at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. in the Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch Street, Room 204.
Any comments or complaints can be sent through e-mail at opbud@septa.org or by mail to 1234 Market St., 10th floor, Philadelphia, Pa. 19107.