Trends in State Mass Transit Funding and SEPTA's Impact on State and City Tax Revenues

Subsidies for urban mass transportation from the state’s general fund have remained static over the past five years. In contrast to the mass transit subsidy, expenditures in the general fund as a whole and in other significant expenditure categories have increased, at least in nominal dollars.

At the request of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), the Pennsylvania Economy League (PEL) (1) examined trends in recent state contributions to urban mass transit and (2) estimated total income tax revenues paid to the State of Pennsylvania and the City of Philadelphia, by persons using the SEPTA system to commute to work.