11/23/04-Republicans who control the General Assembly say they won’t return to the capitol to discuss the state’s cash-strapped public transit systems.
Gov. Ed Rendell has urged lawmakers to come back because the two-year session isn’t required to end until Nov. 30 and he’s unhappy with a stopgap-funding bill awaiting his signature.
The House and Senate both recessed early Sunday, Nov. 21, without acting on a plan backed by the governor to hike fees on motorists to provide $110 million for Pittsburgh’s Port Authority, Philadelphia’s transit authority and smaller transit agencies across the state.
Sponsored by Rep. Dwight Evans, D-Philadelphia, the plan included higher taxes on tires and car rentals as well as a new $2 sticker fee for vehicles that pass emissions tests.
In addition to the emissions-sticker fee, the plan would bump the fee for requesting driving records from $5 to $12; double the state’s fee on car rentals from $2 to $4; and triple the surcharge on new tires from $1 to $3.
Instead, lawmakers approved a plan favored by Republicans to use $6 million of existing state funding for rural and small-city public transit systems.
To aid the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia agencies – where officials say they are facing deficits in 2005 of $63 million and $30 million, respectively – Republicans suggested Rendell seek a federal waiver to redirect $54 million in available federal highway funds.
Rendell has opposed the Republicans’ proposal and said using federal money for mass transit in the state’s two biggest metropolitan areas would divert funding from highway and bridge projects. Rendell could call for a special session on mass transit if lawmakers don’t return by Nov. 30.

11/19/04-With the legislative session rapidly drawing to a close, Pennsylvania state lawmakers are at a standstill over how best to aid the state’s struggling public transit agencies.
Rep. Dwight Evans, D-Philadelphia, earlier this week proposed a package of fees on motorists to provide $110 annually for Pittsburgh’s Port Authority, Philadelphia’s transit authority and smaller transit agencies across the state.
Endorsed by Gov. Ed Rendell, a Democrat, the plan included higher taxes on tires and car rentals as well as a new $2 sticker fee for vehicles that pass emissions tests.
In addition to the emissions-sticker fee, the plan would bump the fee for requesting driving records from $5 to $12; double the state’s fee on car rentals from $2 to $4; and triple the surcharge on new tires from $1 to $3.
But key GOP lawmakers rejected the proposal and instead opted to scour obscure agencies to cobble together enough dollars to bail out transit groups.
Erik Arneson, chief of staff to Senate Majority Leader David J. Brightbill, R-Lebanon, told local media that Republicans might turn to lottery funds to raise as much as $100 million. Lawmakers would then need to find the money in the 2006 fiscal year to replace the lottery money.
Without a fix, the Port Authority faces a $30 million deficit in 2005 while the Philadelphia transit authority is staring down a $63 million hole.
Pennsylvania’s 41 public transit agencies now receive $533 million from the state. They have been pressing the Assembly for an infusion of dollars to plug budget deficits, saying that otherwise they will have to raise fares, lay off workers and reduce services.
The current session is scheduled to end by Nov. 30 but lawmakers are hopeful of wrapping up their work as soon as this weekend.
The legislative package is HB2697 and SB1162.

11/18/04-Gov. Ed Rendell has come up with a scheme to raise taxes and fees to help cover Pennsylvania’s struggling public transit agencies; but many Republican legislators are reportedly trying to put the brakes on the plan.
The governor’s proposal, which calls for a $110 million tax hike for transit funding, includes higher taxes on tires and car rentals as well as a new $2 sticker fee for vehicles that pass emissions tests.
In addition to the emissions-sticker fee, the plan would raise a fee for requesting driver records from $5 to $12; double the state’s vehicle-rental tax from $2 to $4; and triple a per-tire tax on tires from $1 to $3.
Rendell would use the revenue to cover the Port Authority of Allegheny County’s $30 million deficit as well as plug the Philadelphia transit authority’s $63 million hole.
While the governor described the proposed increases as “a very minimal hit on the motorist,” aides to Republican legislative leaders quickly criticized the proposal and said it was unlikely to be supported by House or Senate Republicans.
Erik Arneson, an aide to Senate Majority Leader David Brightbill, told local media the GOP is willing to consider another kind of temporary fix, such as lifting a $75 million cap on the amount of sales tax revenue that can be used for public transportation. But Republicans are not eager to increase taxes for public transit before the current session ends Nov. 30, he said.
Pennsylvania’s 41 public transit agencies now receive $533 million from the state. They have been pressing the Assembly for an infusion of state dollars to plug budget deficits, saying that otherwise they will have to raise fares, lay off workers and reduce service.