Title
Amending Title 21 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Miscellaneous,” to add a new chapter creating the Philadelphia Transit Access Fund, to establish the purposes for which appropriations to the Transit Access Fund may be used, and to establish public reporting requirements related to the Fund.
Body
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1. Legislative Findings. Council finds that:
(1) The City of Philadelphia has committed to significant investments in economic mobility, by way of the Zero Fare Program for low-income Philadelphians and SEPTA Key Advantage for city workers.
(2) The Zero Fare program, established in August 2023, provides free universal public transportation passes for 60,000 low-income Philadelphians and has become a national model for targeted economic mobility programs, creating a four dollar economic return for every dollar spent.
(3) The City of Philadelphia’s SEPTA Key Advantage contract provides universal transit access as a pre-tax benefit to thousands of city workers.
(4) These two benefits create a bedrock for economic mobility by guaranteeing that low-income Philadelphians and municipal employees can travel to school, work, healthcare, and services without being limited by income.
(5) SEPTA relies on these increases in ridership rates to maintain critical services and improve safety across the system.
(6) As these programs have clearly proven their value, their funding should be expanded and made permanent by creating a special fund dedicated to promoting economic mobility and accessibility to public transit for Philadelphians.
SECTION 2. Title 21 of The Philadelphia Code is amended by adding a new Chapter 21-3*** as follows:
TITLE 21. MISCELLANEOUS.
* * *
CHAPTER 21-3***. TRANSIT ACCESS FUND.
§21-3**1. Definitions.
(1) “SEPTA Key Advantage” means the employer- or organization-based transit benefit program administered by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transpo...
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