Hohenstein’s bill would give communities the ability to fund their own mass transit systems locally by allowing a limited number of counties to levy and collect three additional local taxes to fund transportation projects. The bill would increase flexibility and help build a stronger economy by doing this, he said.
...
Currently, the state’s population is projected to grow by approximately 2.5 million people over the next 20 years. The burden of ensuring that Pennsylvania’s transportation infrastructure can support such growth falls on the state’s most populous counties, Hohenstein said.
...
“With these streams, systems like our SEPTA will be able to access unprecedented federal money available through the [Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act] and the IRA,” Descheemaker said. “All of which require a local match that all of our regions don’t have available and don’t qualify for.”
Hohenstein also said the bill would help seniors and members of the disability community outside of the city who are unable to drive by getting them around more effectively than methods currently in place.
...
...