Bucks County lawmakers, riders rally against SEPTA cuts, call on Pennsylvania GOP senators to act
On the first day of sweeping SEPTA service cuts, Democratic state lawmakers and community members rallied Sunday at the Warminster, Pennsylvania, SEPTA station, urging Republican leadership in Harrisburg to approve more mass transit funding.
State Reps. Tim Brennan, Jim Prokopiak and Brian Munroe joined community members and grassroots organizers at the station, saying the crisis extends beyond Philadelphia and into the surrounding counties.
Among those affected are senior citizens like Linda Walsh, a 72-year-old from Warrington who relies on public transit to get to appointments.
"I go down every month to Penn Medicine University City for my cancer treatments," Walsh said. "And I cannot drive. I could never drive down there, so I rely on the train."
Kim Rainey, a 68-year-old Doylestown resident, said the cuts will also impact her ability to take part in the arts and culture offered in Philadelphia as well as her volunteer work.
"I walk to the train station from my house and take it to Center City for music and entertainment … and then I volunteer for Musicians on Call at Jefferson Hospital, which I do on Thursdays," she said. "We go around to patient rooms and play music for them."
Rainey said without SEPTA, she may have to scale back her trips to the city or quit volunteering altogether, which she says has been one of her favorite parts of retirement.
Community members like Walsh and Rainey joined dozens of people holding signs behind the Democratic representatives, who criticized state Pennsylvania senate Republicans.
"Stop playing with fire," Munroe said. "They've made it clear that they want to 'DOGE' Pennsylvania."
Brennan, of Central Bucks County, urged Republicans to prioritize local concerns.
"I would speak directly to those senators that are representing the suburbs," Brennan said. "I mean, we need those senators to listen to their suburban constituents and not their leaders in Harrisburg or following some rule that's a majority of a majority until they move effective legislation to help us here in the suburbs."
CBS News Philadelphia reached out to Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman for comment, as he leads the chamber's Republican caucus. We are waiting to hear back.
Prokopiak warned the impact would be severe in his district of Lower Bucks County.
"Come, January, SEPTA will cease to exist in my district. Both bus lines will be eliminated and their line that goes through my district will be eliminated," Prokopiak said. "This won't just affect lower Bucks residents, but Pennsylvania as a whole."
Walsh also echoed these concerns, saying she feels like she's part of a forgotten population.
"I'm a senior citizen. I have a medical issue," she said. "Please keep us in mind. We rely on SEPTA so much for our care and we cannot do without it."