Wolf won’t plug budget gap with transit funds

Gov. Tom Wolf won’t say what funds he will tap to fill a $300 million gap in the state budget, but his office said Thursday he won’t touch transportation funds.

That’s good news for Port Authority, which had said it could face service cuts from 50 percent to 5 percent depending on how much money was taken from the state’s Public Transit Trust fund. That’s among 41 funds the Legislature said could provide funds to cover the budget when members agreed on the budget’s revenue-plan last month.

“Gov. Wolf will not raid any funds related to public transit as proposed by the House Republicans,” administration spokesman J.J. Abbott said in an email Thursday. “Governor Wolf understands that public transit and other infrastructure are vital parts of Pennsylvania’s economy and he’s committed to continuing to invest more — not less — in these programs.”

At one point, some Republican

legislators were pushing an idea to take $357 million from the transit trust, which would have cost the Port Authority $80 million. A second option would have cost the agency $11.3 million.

“On behalf of transit riders in Allegheny County and neighboring areas, we are thankful to Governor Wolf and our local delegation for their continued support,” Port Authority spokesman Adam B randolph said inane mail.

Chandana Cherukupalli, a community organizer for Pittsburghers for Public Transit, said the group is “very happy” with the governor’s decision.

“We want to thank and congratulate Gov. Wolf for not taking money from public transit,” she said. “It’s such a critical, critical public service.”

Legislators passed in late June a nearly $32 billion spending plan but no way to pay for it. They struggled for nearly four months — during which the state experienced a credit downgrade — to find a revenue-plan for the budget.

In September, partway through the impasse, a small group of House Republicans floated the idea of cutting money from special funds, including those that help pay for transportation in Allegheny County and other areas. The fiscal code does require the governor to make cuts from those funds, but it allows him and his budget office to decide which funds shouldbe targeted.

In addition to the $300 million in transfers, the final plan relies largely on borrowing $1.5 billion against the state’s landmark settlement with tobacco companies and expanding gambling in the state.