


	LEGISLATORS CALL ON LEADERSHIP TO RETURN TO SESSION HARRISBURG, NOV. 22 – State Sen. Connie Williams and state Reps. Daylin Leach, Kathy Manderino, Greg Vitali and Lawrence Curry wrote a letter to leadership in the Senate and in the House, asking session be reconvened to deal with mass transit funding, among other issues. “We still have time before Nov. 30^th (Sine Die) to come up with a solution to address mass transit funding,” the legislators wrote. “This issue is too important to allow it to become a political casualty – there are too many people who rely on mass transit to get to their doctor, to get to the grocery store and to get to work. Without regular mass transit service – seven days a week – people in urban areas will suffer and the economy will suffer.” During the final hours of session, which ended early Sunday morning when tempers flared over political deal making, Republican leadership in the House and Senate told the governor they would not negotiate funding for mass transit. Instead they suggested the governor use $54 million in federal highway funds as a stopgap funding mechanism to keep mass transit operating. Earlier this fall SEPTA sent a notice detailing a fare increase and a cut in weekend routes, especially to some of the outlying areas, which would include much of the 149^th and 17^th Legislative Districts. “Even if the state manages to cobble together enough funds to help mass transit agencies meet their bottom lines this year, the problem will remain next year and the year after that,” the legislators said. “A permanent solution must be found and this involves dedicated funding for mass transit. We are willing to consider all proposals that are brought to the table and work with our colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make this happen.” According to the legislators, if federal highway money is diverted this year, it will shortchange other state transportation projects in 2005. “This is not a matter of using money that would have been sitting in an account, it is a matter of robbing Peter to pay Paul,” they wrote. The legislators are also asking the county commissioners in Montgomery and Delaware counties to call on the state to adequately fund mass transit.