Editing SEPTA (section)

== Financing ==
SEPTA is considered a non-profit.<ref name="Philadelphia Inquirer Article">{{Cite web |date=June 2014 |title="One of Philly's worst tax deadbeats, SEPTA, to have $22M bill wiped from books" |url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/business/transportation/One_of_Phillys_worst_tax_deadbeats_SEPTA_to_have_22M_bill_wiped_from_books.html |access-date=August 3, 2021}}</ref> SEPTA gets income from passenger fares, investments, and multiple government agencies to cover operating costs.<ref name="Fiscal Year 2021 Operating Budget"/>

=== Operating costs ===
SEPTA had $1,530,984,000 in total operating expenses for the fiscal year of 2021. $1,088,773,000 (71.1%) of those expenses are considered "Labor and Fringe Benefits". $331,432,000 (21.6%) of those expenses are "Material and Services" costs. $27,313,000 (1.8%) are due to "Propulsion Power" costs. $26,026,000 (1.7%) are due to "Fuel" costs. $24,711,000 (1.6%) are for "Injury and Damage Claims". $23,875,000 (1.6%) are due to "Depreciation/Contributed Capital" costs. The last $8,854,000 (.5%) in costs are due to "Vehicle and Facility Rentals".<ref name="Fiscal Year 2021 Operating Budget"/>

=== Operating revenue ===
To cover 35% of their operating costs, SEPTA receives $541,768,000 in operating revenue, which includes: $480,574,000 (88.7%) from passenger revenue, $16,250,000 (3%) from SEPTA's "Shared Ride Program", $42,188,000 (7.8%) from "Other Income", and $2,756,000 (.5%) from "Investment Income".<ref name="Fiscal Year 2021 Operating Budget"/>

=== Government funding ===
To make up for the $989,200,000 gap in operating expenses for FY2021, SEPTA receives 65% of its FY2021 income from federal, state, and local government funding. SEPTA receives this financial support in the form of direct funding, grants, income from a Pennsylvanian sales tax, proceeds from state bond programs, and lease funding.<ref name="Fiscal Year 2021 Operating Budget" />

$779,842,000 (78.8%) of SEPTA's funding short-fall is covered by a combination of state government funding. $111,986,000 (11.3%) of SEPTA's funding short-fall is covered by local government programs. $93,028,000 (9.4%) of SEPTA's funding short-fall is covered by the Federal government. $4,360,000 (.5%) of the gap is covered by "Other" means.<ref name="Fiscal Year 2021 Operating Budget" />

As of June 2022, SEPTA no longer receives $180,000,000 annually from the [[Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission]] as a result of Act 89, signed into law in 2013. Under Act 89, this funding became $50,000,000 for the 2023 fiscal year, and will eventually become nothing.<ref name="PTC Subsidy Loss">{{Cite web |last=Fitzgerald |first=Thomas |date=July 12, 2021 |title=Will Harrisburg Republicans save SEPTA and other transit agencies in time? |url=https://www.inquirer.com/transportation/pa-transit-funding-septa-repair-backlog-legislature-harrisburg-philadelphia-20210712.html |access-date=6 March 2022 |website=Philadelphia Inquirer |publisher=The Lenfest Institute}}</ref>

As of April 2025, SEPTA may need to cut many routes if the [[Pennsylvania State Senate]] does not vote to give SEPTA a higher budget for 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Strickland |first1=Raymond |last2=Brandt |first2=Joe |date=2025-04-11 |title=Rally calls on Pennsylvania government to fully fund SEPTA after service cuts, fare increases announced|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/septa-service-cuts-funding-changes-pennsylvania-budget/ |access-date=2025-04-13 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref>