We all rely on low-income essential workers to keep us moving. Now we have to keep them moving with an emergency low-income fare program in Allegheny County.
On Tuesday, June 23rd, Bethany Hallam, Allegheny County Council Member At-Large, released a letter signed by 19+ Local, County and State Legislators asking Port Authority leadership to implement an emergency low-income fares program to address public health needs during COVID-19.
Allowing low-income riders to show their EBT cards to board would significantly reduce the likelihood of crowding and contact at the fare-box, and would prevent the public health catastrophe that results from riders unable to afford to ride to access food, healthcare and jobs. An emergency low-income fare program would begin to address the disproportionate economic and health harm that COVID-19 has enacted on Black, Brown, Low-income, and other disenfranchised communities.
PPT is grateful for the leadership of the 19+ City, County, and State legislators who’ve signed-on to say the time is now for Port Authority to implement an emergency low-income fare program.
Jay Costa, PA Senate District 43
Wayne Fontana, PA Senate District 42
Pam Iovino, PA Senate District 37
Lindsey M. Williams, PA Senate District 38
Ed Gainey, PA House District 24
Sara Innamorato, PA House District 21
Summer Lee, PA House District 34
Olivia Bennett, Council Council District 13
Bethany Hallam, County Council At-Large
Anita Prizio, County Council District 3
Deb Gross, Pittsburgh City Council District 7
R. Daniel Lavelle, Pittsburgh City Council District 6
Erica Strassburger, Pittsburgh City Council District 8
Mayor Nickole Nesby, City of Duquesne
Jonathan Reyes, East Pittsburgh Borough Council
Tara Yaney, Edgewood Borough Council
Jessica Benham, Democratic Candidate for PA House District 36
Lissa Geiger Shulman, Democratic Candidate for PA House District 30
Emily Kinkead, Democratic Candidate for PA House District 20
Read the local news coverage on the letter:
- From Hannah Lynn @ Pittsburgh City Paper: Local legislators call for Port Authority to implement emergency low-income fare program
- From Nick Trombola @ Pittsburgh Post Gazette: Officials seek low-income fares for Port Authority
- From An-Li Herring @ WESA: Hallam Seeks to Extend Covid-19 Testing to all County Employees