Political, Business Leaders Rally For SEPTA Funding On Main Line

NARBERTH, PA — Montgomery County officials came to the Main Line Wednesday to rally for SEPTA with local small business owners and residents as major service cuts are being proposed amid a budget shortfall.

"We’re here to tell Harrisburg: fund SEPTA," Neil K. Makhija, Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, said. "When you cut transit, you don’t just harm the riders and leave them stranded, you stifle the entire economy of the region. Public transit isn’t just about getting from Point A to Point B. It’s about people getting to their jobs, customers supporting local businesses, and keeping our neighborhoods thriving. It’s not SEPTA that is failing; Harrisburg is failing SEPTA."

If state lawmakers do not to address SEPTA’s budget shortfall, the region could face significant service reductions, including the elimination of five Regional Rail lines and dozens of bus routes, authorities said.

The full details of the proposed cuts can be found here.

For communities like Narberth, Ardmore, and Wynnewood, that would be a devastating blow, officials claim.

"Funding public transit should be a no-brainer—it boosts the economy, saves the Commonwealth money over time, and improves public health by reducing car traffic and encouraging us to travel with our neighbors. Cuts to—or worse, elimination of— the Paoli-Thorndale line would severely harm our small businesses," State Sen. Amanda Cappelletti said. "Harrisburg must be part of the solution. I'm fully committed to ensuring our state budget gives transit agencies the support they need to provide this essential public service."

"SEPTA is not just a convenience; it’s part of who we are. It’s the lifeline that connects us, that makes our community work, that allows us to live, and thrive," State Rep. Mary Jo Daley. "Without additional support, services like the train station here in Narberth could be cut, along with dozens of bus routes and rail lines that so many of us rely on every day. If that happens, it’s not just an inconvenience, it’s a blow to our local economy, to job access, and to our quality of life."

Local business leaders also spoke to the immediate threats facing them.

"SEPTA, and this station, is so crucial to supporting the local small businesses here in Narberth," Sue Perischetti, CEO and Co-Founder of Goodness Bowls, said. "But I also have employees who don't have cars and rely on SEPTA. We have to think about the commerce side, but also the human side, and how it affects all of us."

"I hear people say all the time that they want to live in these walkable towns. They want to live in places like Narberth, Ardmore, Bryn Mawr, and Wayne because they don’t have to take cars to do everything in their lives," Ed Ridgway of the Narberth Business Association said. "Public transportation is helping to reduce congestion and reduce pollution, so please help us support public transportation because it helps all of us."

Montgomery County residents are encouraged to contact their local legislators to include public transit funding in the state budget.

Residents can go online here to find and email their representatives with a request to fund SEPTA and invest in public transit in Montgomery County.