DV Journal

Even though tax increases are looming, Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley counties have promised to jointly contribute $22.95 million to help shore up the coffers of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA).

That is unwelcome news for Delaware County taxpayers. Delaware County faces a $76 million budget deficit, and residents are looking at a 28 percent tax hike. A county spokesman said nearly $13, 5 million of county funds will be allocated for SEPTA for 2025.

That pledge was announced at a recent press conference where Gov. Josh Shapiro said he would shift $153 million in federal funds from Pennsylvania road and bridge repairs to the transit agency.

“As governor, I have a responsibility to serve every region of our commonwealth — rural, suburban, and urban,” said Shapiro. “Over the past two years, we’ve come together on a bipartisan basis to invest $330.5 million in additional funding for Pennsylvania’s roads and bridges, repairing more poor-condition bridges than any other state and improving more miles of roadway than at any time in the past decade.

“But while we’ve made great progress on our roadways, we must also address the needs of mass transit riders, particularly those in Southeastern Pennsylvania who rely on SEPTA every day to get to work, school, medical appointments, and more.”

Critics say throwing money at the problem won’t solve it, pointing instead to the drastic decline in ridership. Since 2019, SEPTA ridership has decreased by 38 percent, the Commonwealth Foundation reports. At the same time, SEPTA’s operating budget to serve fewer riders has increased by 9.3 percent since 2019.

“SEPTA has repeatedly failed to serve customers, residents, and taxpayers, and not because of state funding issues,” said Commonwealth Foundation Senior Vice President Nathan Benefield.” Even before this new bailout, Pennsylvania taxpayers and drivers were footing the bill for SEPTA’s bureaucracy. Shapiro’s bailout attempts to avoid the deep issues he and SEPTA leaders must address. They have refused to deal with rising crime and quality of life violations, nor have they evaluated routes in decades.

“SEPTA leadership should focus on streamlining service, finding efficiencies, and relying more on fares and local support—like most major metropolitan transportation systems,” Benefield added.

That analysis has largely been ignored by Delaware Valley elected officials.

“Montgomery County, much like the Governor’s Office, is on a mission to repair our aging infrastructure,” Montgomery County Commissioners Chair Jamila Winder said at the Shapiro press conference. “Better infrastructure improves quality of life, reduces transportation costs, and makes our region more attractive for investment and economic growth. Our economic productivity [is] only possible with a robust mass transit network.”

She said Montgomery County plans to increase its SEPTA funding from $8.3 million in 2024 to $9.4 million in 2025. Montgomery County taxes will rise by 9 percent in the proposed 2025 budget.

If Delaware County Council Chair Monica Taylor had any reservations about increasing spending and taxes, she didn’t show it during the press conference.

“It is vital to our community that SEPTA stays fully functional at the rate they’re at,” Taylor said, noting Delaware County has the second-highest transit ridership in the region. “SEPTA is the backbone of so many of us. The 101 trolley line runs right behind my home. I take it to Media. I take it into the El. I take it into Center City. Over 18,000 people who ride SEPTA every single day. Those individuals are riding it to work, who are riding it to school, to their doctor’s appointments, and so much more.

“But as we all know, the pandemic hit SEPTA hard,” said Taylor. “And without some sort of relief, we all know this system is not going to maintain itself.”

She thanked Shapiro for his “true leadership.”

Representatives from Chester and Bucks Counties did not attend the press conference. Bucks County released its 2025 budget with no tax increase, while Chester County homeowners will pay less than 1 percent more next year.

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said SEPTA is “at the heart of the economic engine of Southeastern Pennsylvania.”

“If you claim to be pro-business,” she said. “If you claim to be pro-growth. I don’t care what your party is, you will find a way to partner with our governor and our legislative to continue the tradition that we started in the commonwealth and from our county leaders here in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Let’s get stuff done.”

Despite the influx of state and local funds, SEPTA riders are paying 7.5 percent more as of Dec. 1. However, a second round of fare hikes that was to take effect next year has been postponed. SEPTA had not raised its fares since 2017.

Montgomery County is sporting Pennsylvania’s first mobile Voter Services satellite office. It recently made its first stop at the Abington Township Fall Festival in Crestmont Park.

But some Montco Republicans fear it was just the first stop on a taxpayer-funded ballot harvesting tour designed to help Democrats hold onto power.

Montgomery County Commissioner Neil Makhija, chair of the Board of Elections, said, “The Montgomery County Voter Services Mobile Outreach van is the first of its kind in Pennsylvania. It’s one of several steps we’re taking to make this election more accessible than ever. We’ve doubled our secure ballot drop boxes opened more satellite voter services offices than ever, and now this mobile satellite office can reach more people where they already are. Our goal is to increase voter access to the information and tools they need to participate in our democracy.”

The mobile voter services satellite office provides the same services as a regular satellite office, officials said. Citizens can register to vote, update their registration, request a mail-in ballot and return their completed ballot at the voter services van. They can also drop ballots off at any voter services office location across Montgomery County. It is scheduled to travel to various senior communities and public events in the weeks leading up to the Nov. 5 election. The last day to register to vote in Pennsylvania is Oct. 21.

“The voter services van will help us make sure that every eligible voter in Montgomery County has the chance to cast their ballot this general election,” said County Commissioners Chair Jamila H. Winder, vice chair of the Board of Elections. “We can especially reach people in places where accessibility challenges make it harder to visit a voter services office, such as senior facilities and community centers. We’re also able to connect directly with voters at festivals and public events. Wherever the community gathers, we aim to get out there to make sure people are informed and ready to vote this election.”

Both Winder and Makhija are Democrats. Minority Republican County Commissioner Tom DiBello voted against the mobile Voter Services van.

“I call it the ice cream truck of ballot harvesting,” said DiBello, who added he is uncertain that it’s legal. Furthermore, the new van cost the county $143,000, he said. He noted it is going to areas with more Democratic voters to register people.

Abington Township Republican Organization Chair Joe Rooney echoed those concerns.

“Is it targeting Democratic voters? Or is it going to churches and gun shows?” Rooney asked. Rooney is also concerned about the security of ballots left with the van.

And Rooney said the van is just the tip of the iceberg. The county has dispensed with guards at drop boxes, which it previously agreed to because of an Upper Dublin incident where a woman was seen stuffing multiple ballots into a drop box, and officials increased the number of drop boxes. Rooney, a Republican candidate for state representative for District 153 Abington, Upper Dublin and Rockledge, has watched the drop boxes and seen people depositing more than one ballot [the limit is one] and someone with a car with a New Jersey tag depositing a ballot.

He’s also concerned some drop boxes are not in well-lighted areas and voters could become the victims of crime. He pointed out Abington has had some serious incidents recently, with a woman attacked at a laundromat and another woman followed home from a casino by a would-be robber who was shot before he was arrested.

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