Tie Together Mass Transit [Republican & Herald (Pottsville, PA)]

Republic_Pottsvi, 2013-02-27

Gov. Tom Corbett defied many legislative leaders of his own party when he included mass transit in his plan to increase annual transportation funding by $1.8 billion a year.

Many Republican lawmakers want transit to be considered separately but the governor chose the better course, even though his proposed increase of $40 million in the first year, statewide, is modest. The budget also includes a challenge to agencies to consolidate services where possible.

At issue is not simply the cost of mass transit, but how to ensure that it best serves its communities as the economy evolves.

Consolidating transit systems would serve an added purpose in fostering a regional, rather than county-based, economic outlook. The economic reality is that jobs and other public business are not defined by county lines.

How to economically provide services to a core constituency while expanding services to meet changing demands of the economy is a complex question for transit agencies. Combining forces would expand their scope and provide greater flexibility, while reducing administrative costs. Local agencies should act on the incentives in the governor's budget proposal to coherently serve a single economic region.

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