PA: Gov. Shapiro's plan to boost mass transit funding across Pennsylvania passes state House

Gov. Josh Shapiro's proposal to pump $292.5 million more into public transit — including about $40 million for Pittsburgh Regional Transit — received final approval Tuesday in a state House vote that was complicated by a major technological glitch.

For the second day in a row, an apparent electronic failure affected the function of large display boards in the House chamber that show how lawmakers voted. When it came time to vote on the transit bill, lawmakers who wanted to vote "no" were asked to stand and be counted, and everybody who remained seated was counted as a "yes" vote.

The tally was 107-96 in favor of the bill, which will now go to the state Senate for consideration.

Public transit funding is one of many major, uncertain pieces in negotiations for a 2025-26 state budget, with 13 days left before the end of the current fiscal year. Both PRT and SEPTA, the Philadelphia-area transit agency that is the biggest in the state, have said they will make big service cuts if they do not get more state money.

The bill would set up more funding for transit by increasing the amount of state sales tax proceeds transferred into the Public Transportation Trust Fund by 1.75 percentage points — from 4.4% to 6.15%.

In a written statement issued by House Democrats, the bill's sponsor, Rep. Ed Neilson of Philadelphia, said the measure would "help transit agencies avoid the worst-case scenarios of major service cuts and fare increases, allow roughly 39,000 people employed by public transit agencies to remain gainfully employed, and continue moving hundreds of thousands of workers to and from their jobs."

Rep. Jim Struzzi of Indiana County, a former PennDOT employee who is now the top Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, voted against the bill. He said it is only a piece in an ongoing, complex state budget negotiation and that transferring another $292.5 million toward public transit means that money will not be available to use elsewhere.

The technology glitch in the House chamber first surfaced on Monday and caused a delay in action on the transit bill. On Tuesday, when problems began to occur during the handling of bills, Speaker Joanna McClinton, D- Philadelphia, told members the chamber would use a process previously used fifty years ago in which 'no' votes are cast by having members stand up.

The transit bill vote was split in both parties.

The 107 votes in favor included 100 Democrats and seven Republicans, many from the SEPTA service region. The Republican supporters were Reps. Joe Hogan, Kathleen Tomlinson, and Shelby Labs of Bucks County; Rep. Craig Williams of Delaware County; Rep. Martina White of Philadelphia; Rep. Dane Watro of Schuylkill County; and Rep. Tom Mehaffie of Dauphin County.

Joining 94 Republicans in voting "no" were Democratic Reps. Frank Burns of Cambria County and Tarah Probst of Monroe County.

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