Also this issue: The Past Menagerie Philadelphia needs to better fund the Historical Commission to preserve its heritage. -Rosemarie Fabien

May 29-June 4, 2003

cityspace

Bailout for SEPTA?

by Daniel Brook

With Pennsylvania set to receive $900 million in federal aid courtesy of Democratic amendments to the tax bill passed by the U.S. Congress earlier this month, local transit riders fighting proposed SEPTA ser- vice cuts are hoping for a little financial consideration.

"We've decided to turn our attention to Harrisburg because ultimately it's not just SEPTA's mismanagement, but Harrisburg's lack of funding that has caused the proposed cuts," says Tom Hutt of the Northwest Campaign for Public Transportation, a group of Germantown, Mount Airy and Chestnut Hill residents fighting the planned end of service on the R8 Chestnut Hill West line.

Though SEPTA's budget deficit is projected at $55 million for the upcoming fiscal year, it's unclear whether the federal windfall will protect transit services in the region. Republicans controlling the statehouse would rather use the money to avoid raising taxes while Gov. Rendell has committed to spending the money on services. (He hasn't specified which ones yet.)

"The money is a great help and benefit and [state House Majority Leader John Perzel] thinks it may alleviate the need for a tax increase," says Perzel's spokesman Steve Miskin. "He believes very strongly you can't tax yourself into prosperity."

In a press release, the Rendell administration said the additional money will reduce some of what it terms the "draconian service cuts." Rendell press secretary Kate Philips says transit funding may be boosted but that the governor believes "a lot of the cuts can be restored internally by adding management efficiencies and also by using marketing campaigns to increase ridership."

To help Rendell make up his mind, Hutt says the governor can soon expect a request from his group to schedule a meeting with concerned Northwest Philadelphia residents.

Still Cheap!

According to a new National Association of Realtors survey, the median home price in the Philadelphia region rose more than 25 percent to $153,400 during the past year. Though that’s the largest percentage increase in the nation, the Philadelphia area remains the East Coast’s cheapest metropolitan area to live in. (Boston tops the regional chart at $413,500 while San Francisco is a shade over $500,000.)

The Central Philadelphia Development Corporation and the city recently launched an advertising campaign billed as a "neighborhood marketing program" to draw middle-class homebuyers' attention to a number of city neighborhoods, including Cedar Park in West Philadelphia and Southwest Center City.