The PA legislature has reportedly moved much closer to a final plan to close an approximate $2 billion revenue gap in the 2017-18 budget (see the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article below). As first proposed in the House, the plan appears to still include transferring funds from various dedicated sources. The Multimodal Transportation and Public Transportation Trust Funds were among those sources in the original plan, so it is likely they remain in the latest version. Again, the Pennsylvanian is funded through PennDOT via the Multimodal Fund. The continued operation of the train could be jeopardized by a transfer of money from that fund as noted in a September 7 letter from PA Transportation Secretary Leslie Richards to the chairs of the House and Senate Transportation Committees. It is once more attached for your review. Less clear is if the Harrisburg - Philadelphia/NYC Keystone Service trains, also funded by PennDOT, would be affected by the proposed budget plan.
The legislature will resume budget talks this morning. Thus, it is important that you contact your state senators and representatives as soon as possible, preferably by phone, to tell them that you do not want a transfer of money from the Multimodal and Public Transportation Funds to be part of the final budget plan. If you have already done this, please contact your legislators again. These two sources should be used solely for transportation-related needs, funding of the Pennsylvanian included, as intended.
Links to contact information for PA legislators are provided below.
http://www.post-gaze...es/201710250180
http://www.penndot.g...aspx?newsid=365
