If SEPTA is sacred, then it must be deal-worthy

Who knew that SEPTA was so sacred?

Growing up in South Philly and having lived in Paoli for decades, after years as a public policy advocate and then a governmental official, I wrote a column on the SEPTA “funding crisis.” A lifetime rider of SEPTA — subways, buses, and regional rail — my straightforward column pointed out that: 84 percent of SEPTA’s budget comes from taxpayers (among the highest on the east coast), the share contributed by riders is falling, ridership is only 72 percent of pre-Covid levels, routes haven’t been restructured in 60 years, and crime is so bad that the legislature actually created a “special prosecutor” just for SEPTA. 

So, maybe SEPTA ought to get its house in order and develop a plan of action before Governor Shapiro and the legislature just toss in more taxpayer money.

SEPTA’s latest emergency funding crisis: demanding an additional $215 million — above and beyond the nine figures of Pennsylvania taxpayer subsidy they get each year. (In November, 2024 — SEPTA’s last “crisis”— Governor Shapiro unilaterally took $150 million from Pennsylvania’s federal highway fund to give to SEPTA.)

I was compelled to write in response to SEPTA’s disappointing, unnecessary, and overtly attention-seeking threat to cut Eagles’ game-day subway service by up to 40 percent; plus Governor Shapiro, House Democrats, and SEPTA stubbornly rejecting the Senate Republican’s legislation literally giving SEPTA the very money they so desperately “need.” I called out the extortionary gamesmanship of “team SEPTA” and questioned the validity and necessity of SEPTA’s request for an additional $215 million from taxpayers. 

Apparently it’s out-of-bounds to SEPTA-worshipers for anyone to point out to that a taxpayer-funded (84 percent of its budget) mass transit system that’s losing money, riders, and credibility shouldn’t threaten to cut back on transit routes that people actually use — that it’s both bad policy and cynical to use its riders as pawns, trying to extort money from taxpayers.

Apparently it’s an affront to mass-transit worshipers to suggest that SEPTA — having crime and cleanliness issues, losing millions in revenue due to fare-jumpers — focus on addressing its own problems, adapt to the changes in workforce and travel behavior, acknowledge its challenges, and offer a plan and timeline for improvement.

Apparently mass-transit worshipers, “urbanists,” and progressive politicians believe the way it should work is that SEPTA operates however it wishes — with no questions asked or oversight. SEPTA determines its own budget and how much riders should pay (currently only about 16 percent…and falling) and then how much Pennsylvania taxpayers — who do not ride SEPTA — should pony-up.

Who knew that SEPTA was so sacred, so special? Who knew their leaders were so gifted and so wise? Who knew that SEPTA riders were entitled to taxpayer subsidy, and yet not entitled to be heard by SEPTA when they have legitimate complaints about safety, cleanliness or routes?

SEPTA is apparently so special that it deserves whatever funding it wants, no oversight — no accountability, even when it loses customers and quality. There’s nothing like it.

(Well, actually this sounds an awful lot like public education — especially union-dictated urban education: demanding more and more funding from outside the district, while grades are falling, schools more unsafe, losing students — with even more wanting to leave. But, I digress.)

SEPTA (like public education) has a fanbase that romanticizes about what mass transit is and what it means, like in a novel about a European vacation — having nothing to do with SEPTA’s reality.

But if, in fact, SEPTA is that special and truly needs money, as a SEPTA rider, I’ll offer a suggestion — so the “trains can run on time.”

One option is for Team SEPTA to offer to do something important to those legislators who are skeptical of giving more taxpayer money to SEPTA.

Yes, quid pro quo.

Those objecting to the almost unlimited, unquestioned Pennsylvania taxpayer funding to SEPTA have their own priorities for the state budget — imagine that. 

For example, many care passionately about the potential of Pennsylvania natural gas — more energy under our feet than Saudi Arabia. Lower energy costs for families, schools, hospitals and businesses. More jobs in energy and supporting spin-off industries. They want Governor Shapiro to honor the pledge that Candidate Shapiro made and withdraw his lawsuit before the Supreme Court, fighting for his right to unilaterally manage (penalize) the natural gas industry, which harms the industry — and the majority of Pennsylvanians who use gas, oil or propane.

Many care passionately about “school choice” — and have offered a handful of plans allowing more parents to rescue their kids from schools that are failing them academically, are unsafe or undermine their values. This, too, is something that Candidate Shapiro said he was for — and Governor Shapiro said on national television.

The Republican-controlled state Senate passed a bill outlining their plan on how to fund SEPTA with every dollar they requested. It’s a plan that SEPTA, House Democrats, and even Shapiro initially, publicly rejected — though Shapiro now says he could work with it.

So make a win-win deal. Pass a budget where everyone wins — and the business of government gets back to business.

Team SEPTA builds on of the Senate GOP funding plan, adds in the SEPTA reform plan proposed by Senators Picozzi, Pennycuick, and Farry (including things SEPTA has pledged to do). Shapiro pledges to withdraw his natural gas lawsuit (honoring the words of candidate Shapiro), and part of state education funding (that will invariably go higher, as sure as Eagles fans will boo Jerry Jones) should include a school choice component (as Candidate Shapiro pledged — and, truth be told, a bipartisan majority of House members would actually support).

Do all that — keeping the rate of spending at or below inflation — and everyone wins.

Team SEPTA: Just how important is SEPTA funding?

Guy Ciarrocchi is a Senior Fellow with the Commonwealth Foundation. A former Chief of staff to the Lt. Governor, and federal and state legislators, he writes for Broad + Liberty and RealClear Pennsylvania. Follow Guy at @PaSuburbsGuy.