1. United States
2. Pa.
3. Letter

SEPTA will raise fares nearly 30% by January and prepare to shut down dozens of routes after the state legislature declined to approve a funding boost for the beleaguered agency. The measures are expected to cause a 23% drop in ridership and revenues, and lead to a "death spiral" of further fare increases and service cuts that will make public transit "no longer relevant" in Philadelphia and the region. The proposed fare increases alone, like hiking a weekly TransPass from $25.50 to $31, will make transit unaffordable for many. Service cuts will leave others stranded without viable options to get to work, school, or medical appointments. Allowing such drastic measures would deal a devastating blow to the region's economy, equity, and sustainability goals. A crippled SEPTA will mean more cars on the road, increased pollution and congestion, reduced access to jobs, and greater financial hardship for lower-income residents. State legislators must take urgent action to approve increased transit funding, whether through higher sales tax allocations or other dedicated revenue sources. As a stopgap, Governor Shapiro should also consider using executive authority to shift some federal highway funding to transit operations.