"Gov. Ed Rendell today announced a $45 million allocation that would allow the Port Authority to avert record-breaking service cuts planned for March"The provenience for the $45 million: reallocating stimulus money from stalled projects. The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) is expected to vote on the reallocation of funds to public transportation during its December 13 meeting and until this vote the $45 million are no more than a projected funding solution. This is also a temporary funding solution and as governor Rendell stated, it is only meant to give Elected Governor Corbett the time to figure up a long-term solution. According to the Post-Gazette, if approved by the SPC the new funds would delay the proposed service cuts for a year.
However, since the $45 million funding will only cover the budget shortfall for the current fiscal year that ends June 30 2011 , the Port Authority may decide to delay the service cuts only until July 2011 which only buys a few more months for those Pittsburgh riders expecting to lose service come March 13.
Port Authority’s CEO Steve Bland said that he is waiting for the SPC vote before making any decisions regarding the planned March 13 cuts, according to Lauren Daley (@lndaley ) from the Pittsburgh City Paper.
Yes, Governor Rendell brought us some good news today and most important he brought us hope that we can avoid becoming again a city poisoned by pollution because we are becoming more and more car dependent city. But if a green Pittsburgh is going to remain mere hope, or will become a reality depends on our newly elected state officials and on us, the riders. This is why we will continue to advocate actively and support public transportation solutions.
We will return with more updates on the funding crisis soon so stay by.
[1] Post Gazette Source: http://post-gazette.com/pg/10336/1107723-455.stm#ixzz16ysAZJnj
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