SEPTA TRANSIT FUNDING ADVOCACY SUPPORT

THE CHALLENGE

In 2021, SEPTA’s Government Affairs Division was focused on three significant funding challenges: significantly decreased funding from Act 44, inadequate funding from Act 89, and the need for new legislation to allow county governments to generate revenue for local priorities including public transit.  The goal was to work toward preserving Act 89 state capital investment levels, secure sustainable bondable state funding, and facilitate the passage of state legislation to allow county governments to generate revenues locally to invest in projects that drive local priorities (as part of a package benefiting other transportation modes). Since that time, Government Affairs’ efforts regarding SEPTA’s funding needs intensified due to the direct and indirect funding-related impacts in a post-covid environment. Additionally, there have been significant changes in the political landscape on federal and state levels which also impact their outreach and strategic communications campaigns.

To strengthen these efforts, the Government Affairs Division needed additional administrative support and facilitation of their ongoing collaborative, educational, and strategic communications initiatives with key interests and advocates of public transit. Their audiences include federal and state legislative delegations and local elected officials (as many as 160); transportation-related associations; special interests groups; and organizations such as the Keystone Transportation Funding Coalition (KTFC), Chambers of Commerce, ACEC, APC, the Greater Valley Forge TMA, the Southeastern PA Mobility Partnership, and PenTrans. They also partner with state and regional multimodal transportation management and planning agencies including PennDOT, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, and DVRPC.  

HOW WE HELPED

SEPTA enlisted McCormick Taylor to provide meeting organization and facilitation, and thorough documentation and tracking of activities. The McCormick Taylor team is an extension of the Government Affairs staff and assists with the coordination of additional consultant team support including Ceisler Media (strategic planning, strategic communications, and media relations), Michael Baker International (transit advocacy, communications, and meeting facilitation), KCI Technologies (legislative and transportation SME), and DVRPC (local and regional transportation planning and collaboration). This effort also included staff coordination, progress reports and updates, project schedule development including tracking assignments and deadlines for the delivery of related materials, and other coordination activities. In partnership with SEPTA, McCormick Taylor also developed collateral content and materials for meetings and informational outreach efforts, including fact sheets, brochures, meeting agendas, FAQs, talking points, and PowerPoint presentations. We also developed SEPTA’s legislative action items and contact lists for the Board to use for their own outreach.

McCormick Taylor attends and facilitates the Government Affairs Division’s regularly scheduled project status meetings and remains current on the latest project activities and related issues. We also provide updates on planned activities to SEPTA staff and consultant team members.  We coordinate and facilitate informational and educational webinars, roundtable discussions for the Government Affairs team, and assist with the planning and implementation of in-person legislative meetings and hearings, roundtable discussions, and presentations.  

RESULTS

Over the course of 2021-2022, the Government Affairs Division accomplished the following:

• Preserved Pennsylvania’s commitment to Act 89 and transit funding levels.
• Secured $450 million in bondable state funding plus $50 million in bondable funds from the PTC.
• Secured a new grant program as part of the PA FY 2023 Budget for additional funding to cover SEPTA’s increased safety and security expenses.
• Secured passage of Senate Resolution and Legislative Budget and Finance Committee report and recommendations on statutory caps
• Introduced and gained the support of County leaders for HB 2366.

Additionally, In 2022, the McCormick Taylor team assisted with the planning and implementation of the PenTrans Transportation Infrastructure and Economic Impact Briefing and SEPTA’s House and Local Government Committees Roundtable Discussion.   In January of this year, McCormick Taylor assisted with the development and implementation of the Communications Plan and Education Campaign over the first and second quarters of 2023 including a meeting with DVRPC in early January. We collaborated with SEPTA on the development of an advocacy timeline highlighting key dates, events, and planned activities through the fall of 2025 including budget hearings and proposal dates, key local, state and federal elections.