For Immediate Release: Friday, April 11, 2025
Contact: Genevieve Greene, ggreene@seventy.org, 617-785-6991
Philadelphia, PA – The Committee of Seventy released the following statement in response to news of a SEPTA budget crisis that would result in severe service reductions and fare hikes.
“The Committee of Seventy has long advocated for government to be efficient and effective, transparent and accountable. When the government fails to provide essential services it undermines trust in our institutions and in government, and right now, democracy cannot afford it. It is time for our state legislators to come together across partisan lines and across chambers to address this dire situation.
SEPTA’s funding model is long overdue for a comprehensive, sustainable solution. One that brings together leadership from the Mayor’s Office, our neighboring counties, and the Commonwealth. Without a long-term plan, we risk repeating this budget scramble year after year. The urgency is even more pressing as we look ahead to 2026, when Philadelphia will be on the global stage. With major events like the MLB All-Star Game and the FIFA World Cup drawing millions of visitors, it’s essential that people are able to move around the region safely, reliably, and efficiently. We need SEPTA operating at its highest level, and that starts with ensuring it’s fully and properly funded.
Making public transit a political football harms Pennsylvanians and puts the Commonwealth’s economy in danger. Our region cannot operate without SEPTA and Greater Philadelphia remains an economic engine for Pennsylvania. Differences of opinion over how to manage a transit agency must not get in the way of our future. To some, this may seem like a “Philadelphia” problem but the reality is SEPTA’s collapse would have devastating ripple effects across Pennsylvania.
If you care about a connected, thriving Pennsylvania, now is the time to act. Contact your state legislators and urge them to find a sustainable path forward that meets the most basic needs of our Commonwealth.”
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