Transit Bailout Could Derail Shapiro’s Budget

Originally published at RealClearPennsylvania

Gov. Josh Shapiro thinks mass transit is too big to fail. In his recent budget address, Shapiro pitched sending roughly $300 million every year from Pennsylvania taxpayers to bail out failing urban transit agencies.

If the governor isn’t careful, this bailout could derail his 2024–25 budget negotiations.

Pennsylvania mass transit agencies – namely, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) and Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) – rely on scare tactics to lobby for more taxpayer subsidies. Reporting a $240 million budget shortfall, SEPTA is now threatening to raise fares and cut service to offset the shortfall.

Read more at RealClearPennsylvania