With no new funds from Harrisburg, SEPTA sidetracked on budget

Fares to ride SEPTA went up Monday, but not enough for Philadelphia’s transit agency to pay all of its bills.

SEPTA is stalled in its tracks, so to speak, when it comes to long-term planning because it doesn’t know how much money it will get from the state.

Somewhat unexpectedly, the Pennsylvania Legislature could not agree on a funding plan that would provide additional money for the state’s transportation infrastructure.

Just a few days ago, instead of finalizing its budget for the fiscal year that started Monday, SEPTA approved a one-month budget, an unusual move for the agency.

“Riders should know that, in the short term, the lack of a transportation funding bill will not impact service,” said spokeswoman Jerri Williams.

“However,” she continued, “SEPTA will continue to advocate for a strong transportation bill that will provide critical investment into our aging infrastructure. Failure to address this need will affect the reliability and quality of transportation in the region.”

Since the Legislature won’t return to the matter of transportation funding until the fall, SEPTA will need to look for a stop-gap measure beyond the next month.

SEPTA’s board will consider “a number of options for the 2014 operating and capital budget,” and could continue to defer action on the agency’s capital budget, Williams said.