Politics
Philly proposal would dedicate 0.5% of city budget to SEPTA fare assistance
A revised City Council bill would provide recurring city funding for free and discounted SEPTA programs, including Zero Fare for low-income residents. The measure now heads to committee, with its sponsor hoping funding can be included in next year’s budget.
Philadelphia City Councilmember Nicolas O’Rourke introduced a revised proposal Thursday that would dedicate 0.5% of the city’s General Fund to SEPTA affordability programs, including free fares for eligible low-income residents.
The measure would support Zero Fare, Key Advantage and Key Partner, and require the city’s managing director or a designated office to submit an annual Transit Access Plan alongside the operating budget. The plan would set out a five-year outlook for improving transit access, including potential expansion of the programs.
Zero Fare offers free SEPTA rides to Philadelphia residents living at or below the poverty level. Key Advantage and Key Partner provide discounted transit benefits through participating employers, including some universities and nonprofits.
O’Rourke, an at-large member of the Working Families Party, said he hopes to secure funding for the programs in time for the next city budget. Budget negotiations are expected to begin next spring.
“We have to wield SEPTA’s affordability and accessibility together, so I know we’re all excited to build a transit authority that meets the mark on both of those fronts,” O’Rourke said at Thursday’s Council meeting.
A study of Zero Fare released earlier this month by the Better Government Lab found participants were 15% more likely to take at least one SEPTA trip per month. Weekly riders increased their transit use by 16.6%, while daily riders were 10.6% more likely to use SEPTA. Participants are selected through a lottery.
The proposal could make support for Zero Fare more stable. The program began during former Mayor Jim Kenney’s second term, using federal pandemic relief funds. Mayor Cherelle Parker initially proposed ending its funding in her first budget, but later funded it following public backlash.
O’Rourke also pointed to Key Advantage as one incentive that helped attract Burlington’s headquarters from South Jersey to Philadelphia. The city’s $8 million economic development package for the retailer included $1 million for free SEPTA passes for employees.
The earlier version of O’Rourke’s proposal was introduced as a charter change, which would have required a public vote. The revised legislation now goes to committee and must win approval there before returning to Council for a final vote.