Daily News | Philly mayor proposes giving free SEPTA passes to city employees and 25,000 people in poverty
Mayor Jim Kenney is proposing Philadelphia fund a two-year pilot program to provide free SEPTA passes to all city employees and an additional 25,000 residents living in poverty.during his fiscal year 2024 budget address Thursday,
Advocates for city transit and public health cheered Kenney’s sweeping proposal, saying it would bolster SEPTA by increasing the number of riders, fight pollution, and ease a financial hurdle for families in poverty.“No rider should be left behind just because they can’t afford to use SEPTA,” said Yasha Zarrinkelk, advocacy director for Transit Forward Philadelphia, noting 26% of Philadelphians live on less money than the federal government’s poverty standard.
Kenney is also proposing spending about $9 million per year to provide transit passes to all city employees. The city has funding for more than 25,000 workers, but nearly 1 in 5 municipal jobs are currently vacant amid a tight labor market. The administration characterized the SEPTA passes as a perk intended to attract and retain workers. The administration is aiming for the staff vacancy rate to be 4% or less.
“I am unaware of any large city offering a zero-fare program as robust and far-reaching as this,” said Leslie S. Richards, SEPTA’s CEO and general manager. City Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr., the Democratic majority leader who represents parts of West and Northwest Philadelphia, said the free pass plan “has significance people don’t understand.” He said making SEPTA rides free and bringing back more riders to use the system could serve to alleviate safety concerns.
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