Anger at state Senate Republicans dominates a Philadelphia transit town hall

At a packed town hall on Thursday night in West Philadelphia, local lawmakers and public-transit advocates lambasted Harrisburg politicians for failing to adequately fund the beleaguered Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, which began cutting service across the region this week – and which plans to raise fares next week. The event’s location – a public K-8 school – underscored the real-world impact of SEPTA cuts on the ability of both students and staff to get to school.

“To have such a crucial lifeline not be available to people is a frustrating situation,” said City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, who represents District 3 in West Philadelphia – the only council district, she pointed out, where a majority commutes by means other than cars. “SEPTA has been ringing the alarm on this for a long time … There was plenty of time to not get here. And it’s frustrating because it’s nonsensical.”

At the town hall, attendees’ ire was directed at three Republican state senators in particular: Joe Picozzi, Frank Farry and Tracy Pennycuick, whose Southeastern Pennsylvania districts include SEPTA routes ­– and whose GOP-controlled chamber has expressed skepticism about financial accountability at SEPTA, which faces a $213 million budget hole.

State House Democrats want to see a recurring transit-funding solution; meanwhile, state Senate Republicans have proposed resolving the immediate crisis with money from the Public Transportation Trust Fund – a measure Democrats have opposed, as that fund is intended for capital expenditures rather than day-to-day operations. But on Wednesday, state House Majority Leader Matt Bradford suggested that he was open to a proposal that uses PTTF money to resolve the crisis, a position also held by Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro.




https://www.cityandstatepa.com/politics/2025/08/anger-state-senate-republicans-dominates-philadelphia-transit-town-hall/407796/?oref=ng-homepage-top-story