The state’s budget is two months late with ongoing debate among the legislature.
Lawmakers in Harrisburg are closer to finding common ground in a transit funding debate that has contributed to the state budget’s late arrival.
This year’s budget, nearly two months late, has been marked by arguments over mass transit funding that have resulted in severe cuts to SEPTA service.
On Tuesday, House Majority Leader Matt Bradford, a Democrat of Montgomery County, expressed his willingness to utilize a state fund to support mass transit that was included in a plan proposed by Senate Republicans.
Bradford made the announcement in a Tuesday interview. He said he is willing to use the Public Transportation Trust Fund to support mass transit.
The fund, containing about $2.4 billion, is intended to be used for capital improvement projects. Senate Republicans have argued that the fund has been largely unused.
Bradford is open to using the fund with the condition that there is a recurring revenue stream and a mechanism to backfill any funds used, he said in his recent interview.
Democrats still oppose the Senate Republicans’ plan that did not provide a mechanism to backfill funds and would have diverted $412 million in mass transit capital reserves to road and bridge repairs.
The proposal was voted down by House Democrats in committee.
“There is a big difference between if there are some available funds for the short-term up front, but there is not the ability without replenishing [the PTTF] and a sustaining and recurring revenue to do that as a long-term solution. Just raiding capital funds, period, does not accomplish that,” Bradford said.
On Monday, Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro expressed a similar willingness to tap into the special fund and use it as part of a “broader package.” He initially was opposed to its use for supporting mass transit.
Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman, a Republican of Indiana County, said Bradford’s and Shapiro’s change of opinion is “welcome news.”
“If the administration and the House Democrats are willing to use existing dollars in the PTTF program to fund transportation, then I believe that is an important step to figuring out a path forward,” said Pittman.
“They tried to push us around, and all of a sudden now they’re seeing things a little differently,” he continued. “I’m very encouraged that, perhaps, they’ve changed their tactics from just trying to push around and bully us to figuring out a way to embrace some of the policies that we put forward in a thoughtful manner.”
Top leaders in Harrisburg are continuing to take part in closed-door negotiations that include the transit fight, as well as funding for Pennsylvania public schools and skills game regulation.
