Aug. 11, 2025
HARRISBURG – Rep. Jason Ortitay (R-Washington/Allegheny) today issued the following statement in response to passage of
House Bill 1788, which would redirect sales tax revenue from other important priorities to fund Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) and other regional transit agencies across the state:
“While the state budget remains more than a month overdue, House Democrats have decided the most urgent piece of business facing Pennsylvanians this week is a Sunday night session to advance a doomed transportation funding bill to set up today’s vote.
“This bill has no path forward in the Senate, no agreement from both chambers and no chance of becoming law in its current form. Instead of working with Senate Republicans and the governor to actually finalize a budget, the basic responsibility of state government, House Democrats are burning precious time on political theater.
“And speaking of the governor, while Gov. Josh Shapiro has found time to tweet and pose for photo ops in support of this bill, he’s been noticeably absent from actually brokering a deal between the House and Senate. Social media likes don’t close budget gaps.
“This is what Harrisburg has been reduced to: grandstanding, gaslighting and misleading the public instead of sitting down in a room and hashing out a real deal. If everyone spent less time making memes and more time working on compromises, we might actually get something done for the people we represent.
“I am calling on legislative leaders and the governor to focus on negotiating a budget that works for all Pennsylvanians. Pennsylvanians deserve results, not rehearsed drama. Let’s get everyone in a room, talk like adults, and deliver a budget the people are waiting for, not pretend votes that go nowhere.”
The 46th Legislative District includes South Fayette Township and McDonald and Oakdale boroughs in Allegheny County. It also encompasses Cecil, Chartiers, Mt. Pleasant and North Strabane (Districts 6,7,8 and 9) townships and Canonsburg, Houston and McDonald boroughs in Washington County.
Representative Jason Ortitay
46th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Tracy Polovick
717.260.6358
tpolovick@pahousegop.com
RepOrtitay.com / Facebook.com/RepOrtitay