Paoli, Pa (April 29, 2025) – Dozens of state lawmakers, regional business leaders, municipal officials, transit workers, and riders gathered outside the Paoli Train Station this week to call for the legislature to fully fund SEPTA in the upcoming state budget.
The press conference, led by state Senator Carolyn Comitta, highlighted the significant economic, traffic congestion, and quality-of-life impacts that would come with proposed cuts to the public transit system’s regional rail and bus service.
“SEPTA serves the suburbs. Cutting SEPTA won’t just hurt Philadelphia residents and businesses; it will negatively impact our entire region,” Comitta said. “People need to get to work, school, or important medical appointments for us to survive and thrive – as a community and as a Commonwealth. Let’s do what’s right and smart and fully fund SEPTA in the upcoming budget.”
Due to a looming budget deficit, beginning July 1, SEPTA will be forced to increase fares by more than 20 percent and cut service by 45 percent, including eliminating 50 bus routes and five regional rail lines (including the Paoli-Thorndale regional rail line).
Joining Comitta were State Senator John Kane, State Senator Katie Muth, and State Representatives Melissa Shusterman, Chris Pielli, and Lisa Borowski.
“SEPTA is more than just a service – it is a lifeline for so many of our constituents and residents across the Greater Philadelphia area who rely on these critical services so that they can continue to get to work, to school, and to their medical appointments,” Muth said. “Available, affordable, and reliable mass transit is essential to our residents and to our statewide economy. I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to fight for adequate funding for SEPTA and to fight for mass transit when we return to Harrisburg.”
“SEPTA is vitally important to the lives of the residents of Chester County. Our economy depends on SEPTA’s regional rail line to attract and keep families and businesses in our community. Residents depend on SEPTA to travel to medical appointments, work, and entertainment events,” said Shusterman. “It’s unfathomable to think of life in our area without the Paoli-Thorndale line, and we must do absolutely everything we can to adequately fund SEPTA.”
“Over 800,000 people rely on SEPTA’s buses, trains, and trolleys every day to get to work and to go about their daily lives. The truth is that public transportation bolsters commerce which boosts tax revenue, not only in our region, but throughout the entire Commonwealth. Without SEPTA, economic activity in Southeastern Pennsylvania could grind to a halt, with many unable to get to and from work, go to school, or seek medical attention. It’s time for the Republican-controlled Senate to stop playing games with working families and our economy, and properly fund SEPTA,” said Pielli.
The press conference also included comments from Chester County Commissioner and Vice-Chair of SEPTA Marian Moskowitz, Donald Hill, General Chairman of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), and Tim Phelps, Executive Director of TMACC.
Moskowitz highlighted SEPTA’s success in cutting costs and enhancing efficiency.
“SEPTA is cleaner, safer, and more reliable than ever before. We are doing more with less, but we cannot continue this amazing progress without sustainable investment. This is about more than transit. It’s about the future of our communities, our economy, and our Commonwealth,” Moskowitz said. “Transit is not a cost. It’s an investment. One that multiplies every dollar into jobs, growth, and opportunity.”
“If these cuts go through, the impact on the economy would be severe,” Hill said. “SEPTA has also proposed a 20 percent reduction in workforce, representing well over 200 locomotive engineers and conductors – some of the most highly skilled crafts at SEPTA. It would be absurd to just throw that away.”
“Where strong transit exists, property values are stronger. Businesses grow, communities thrive, and in Chester County, the areas served by the Paoli-Thorndale line have some of the most attractive, fastest-growing neighborhoods in the region,” Phelps said. “When we invest in transit, we aren’t just moving people, we are moving opportunities. We are creating value. We are protecting what makes our region such a special place to live, work, and raise a family.”
“SEPTA plays a vital role in providing transportation for employees, patients and visitors to Paoli Hospital and healthcare facilities across the region. Cuts in funding to SEPTA would be incredibly harmful and threaten access to care in our local communities. We thank our elected officials for opposing cuts to SEPTA and strongly urge lawmakers to provide fair funding for public transportation,” said Yonathan Kebede, President of Paoli Hospital.
Comitta highlighted SEPTA’s important role in powering the economy of the five-county Southeastern Pennsylvania region, which generates 38 percent (or $15.5 billion) of Pennsylvania’s General Fund tax revenues and accounts for 41 percent of the state’s economic activity.
Standing in support of SEPTA funding at the press conference were regional, municipal and business leaders including Chair of the Chester County Commissioners Josh Maxwell; David A. Byerman, Chief Executive Officer of Chester County; Rachel Cathell, Executive Director of the Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce; Cheryl Kuhn, President & CEO of the Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce; Laura Manion, President & CEO of the Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry; Laurie Ryan, President of the Exton Regional Chamber of Commerce; Katie Walker, President of the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce; Nicole Whitaker, Borough Manager for Malvern; Jeff Smith, Borough Manager for Downingtown; Corinne Badman, Downingtown Assistant Borough Manager; KS Bhaskar, Supervisor for Tredyffrin Township; James Logan, City Manager for Coatesville; Linda Lavender Norris, Coatesville City Council President; Carmen Green, Coatesville City Council Vice President; Tiniera Turner Green, Coatesville City Council Member; Rajesh Kumbhardare, Chair of the West Whiteland Board of Supervisors; and Brian Dunn, Vice Chair of the West Whiteland Board of Supervisors.
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