SEPTA has announced proposed fare changes, including the elimination of the 50-cent fare discount for Key card and contactless media users, which means that they will have to pay the full amount of $2.50 per ride.

SEPTA officials say that the transit authority is facing a $240 million budget deficit after runnning out of COVID funding and getting less state funding than expected.

The $2.50 fare is the same as a single fare cost of a Quick Trip ticket, which can be purchased at SEPTA kiosks with cash. Transfers would remain free and SEPTA is not expected to raise the cost of daily, weekly and monthly passes. The last fare increase was adopted in 2017.

SEPTA will hold two public hearings on October 16, at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., where the proposed fare adjustments will be presented.

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The West Philadelphia Skills Initiative is partnering with the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) for a new Navy Yard Skills Initiative program, which will train Philadelphia residents for permanent, full-time, union careers with the Philadelphia division of the Naval Surface Warfare Center.

The Management Assistant program seeks to connect Philadelphians with experience in office management for federal careers earning $26/hour. Recruitment for the program kicked off on Tuesday, Aug. 13 and job seekers will be able to submit applications until Friday, Aug. 23 at 5 p.m.. To apply, candidates must be a resident of Philadelphia county, commit to the full training schedule, possess a high school diploma or GED, and have previous experience using Microsoft Office Suite in an office setting. For additional information and to apply for the program, please visit: www.navyyard.org/skills.

The program is the second partnership between the Skills Initiative and Naval Surface Warfare Center, building on the success of the 2023 Industrial Trades Program. The Naval Surface Warfare Center facility at The Navy Yard employs about 2,800 people.

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Tuesday’s primary election offers a chance to not only vote for president, but also some consequential local races – where the primary is often more important than the general election.

The links below will help you get ready to cast your ballot. Pennsylvania is a closed primary – at least for now – which means that you have to be a registered Democrat or Republican to vote for candidates. Independents can still weigh in on this election’s ballot measure related to registered community organizations (RCOs).

West Philly races

Pennsylvania House of Representatives

District 10 – This one is competitive on the Democratic side, with three candidates vying for the seat. Incumbent Amen Brown (you may have heard his campaign truck driving around the neighborhoods over the weekend) is running against community organizers Sajda Blackwell and Cass Green. The same three candidates ran for the seat in 2022, with Brown beating Green by 183 votes.

Brown’s largest single contributor is the Students First PAC, which contributed $25,000 to Brown’s campaign. The PAC is closely connected to billionaire Jeffrey Yass, a longtime supporter of school vouchers and charter schools.

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West Philly residents have a chance to weigh in on the proposed city budget in an upcoming City Council Budget Townhall meeting hosted by Council President Kenyatta Johnson and Councilmember Jamie Gauthier. The meeting will take place on Monday, April 29 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at West Philadelphia High School (49th and Chestnut).

The series of Neighborhood Budget Townhalls kicked off last week in South Philadelphia with a goal to give residents and community leaders a chance to review and provide feedback on the City’s $6.29 Billion Fiscal Year 2025 (FY ’25) Operating Budget, proposed by Mayor Cherelle L. Parker on March 14.

The City Council’s last budget townhall series was held in 2016, so this is a great opportunity for residents to advocate for their budget priorities.

For more information about the proposed budget, visit: https://phlcouncil.com/budget2025.

Homeowners in Philadelphia may qualify to receive a real estate tax credit, but the program application period expires soon.

This year, the city conducted property value re-assessment. If your home’s property value goes up, you will see an increase in your real estate tax bill. A special fund was set up in collaboration with the FORWARD program to help people who own a home in Philadelphia to pay their real estate tax bill. If your bill has increased, you may qualify for a one-time credit (up to $500) that will be added to your real estate tax account located at the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Revenue.

The money will be used to pay your 2023 or 2024 tax bill or will be added to your City of Philadelphia Real Estate Tax Account as a credit for future tax years.

To apply for the tax credit, fill out an application on this page. Application deadline has been extended until January 31, 2024 at 5 p.m.

If you’re planning to use SEPTA during the holidays, please make sure to check modified schedules for Metro, bus and regional rail services.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

On Christmas Eve, Metro (SEPTA’s new name for the Market-Frankford, Broad Street and Norristown High Speed lines, and trolleys), buses and regional rail operate on a Sunday schedule.

On Christmas Day, Metro and bus routes will also operate on a Sunday schedule. The following bus routes are not operating on Christmas Day: 204, 310, 311 and LUCY.

All Regional Rail lines will run on special Christmas schedules with reduced Sunday service.

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