SEPTA has released its proposed Fiscal Year 2017 Operating Budget and Fiscal Years 2018-2021 Financial Projections. The Authority will hold a series of public hearings on the spending plan throughout the five-county service region April 25-29.
SEPTA’s proposed Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2016, the 12-month period from July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017, is $1.4 billion, an increase of approximately 3 percent over Fiscal Year 2016. The operating budget provides funding for the everyday costs of running the transit system, such as labor, fuel and power.
The proposed Fiscal Year 2017 Operating Budget maintains current SEPTA service levels, with no increase in fares for riders. The budget reflects SEPTA’s ongoing efforts to control costs. Fuel consumption, for example, has been reduced, thanks in large part to the Authority’s effort to replace aging buses with more fuel efficient diesel-electric hybrids. SEPTA expects fuel consumption to decrease by 2.2 million gallons annually. In addition, costs for injuries and damages are also expected to go down, due in large part to the increased role of video evidence from surveillance cameras.
To engage the public in the budget process, SEPTA holds two hearings in each of the five counties in which it operates. Public comments are considered before the budget proposal goes to the SEPTA Board for a vote at its monthly meeting in May. Below is the public hearing schedule in Bucks County and Philadelphia:
- Bucks County-Monday, April 25: Bucks County Free Library, Pearl Buck Room; 150 South Pine Street, Doylestown, PA. Hearings at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
- Philadelphia-Tuesday, April 26: SEPTA Headquarters, Board Room-Mezzanine Level; 1234 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA. Sessions at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.
To view the full budget proposal, please visit the SEPTA Reports page. For the public hearing notice and form to submit comments visit the SEPTA Public Hearing page.
