Sajee McElveen and his dad Carl were at Abraham Lincoln High School in Northeast Philadelphia on Monday, picking up enrollment paperwork ahead of the school year. But how Sajee will actually get to school is a bit of a question, as SEPTA plans to cut multiple bus routes in the area in less than three weeks.

"I'm definitely gonna have to get up earlier," the younger McElveen said.

SEPTA is facing a $213 million budget shortfall. Without new funding from the state, the authority is planning major cuts to its system.

Starting on Aug. 24, SEPTA says it will eliminate 32 bus routes and shorten another 16. Eighty-eight bus, metro and Regional Rail lines will also see reduced service, and SEPTA will raise fares by 21.5%.

Funding for SEPTA (and public transit as a whole in Pennsylvania) has been a years-long fight in the state capital.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed an increase in state funds for public transit in his budget proposal, which has been approved by the Democratic-led House multiple times. But for the second year in a row, talks over funding for SEPTA and other public transit agencies across the commonwealth have stalled in the Republican-led Senate.

On Monday, House Democrats from Philadelphia gathered to call on their colleagues across the Capitol to act.

"I'm asking the Senate, respectfully, get back to work, so that my neighbors can get to work," said state Rep. Sean Dougherty, who represents portions of Northeast Philadelphia.

Democrats argue the state budget is already more than a month past due, and with school beginning on Aug. 25 in the city, parents need to plan. But they say cuts to SEPTA would be a major economic blow to a region that provides major tax dollars to the state.

"There are thousands and thousands of people in Philadelphia and beyond who cannot live without mass transit," said state Rep. Rick Krajewski, who represents parts of West Philly, including University City. "Students, young professionals, single parents, municipal workers, seniors, these are the people who will suffer if we kill mass transit."

The lawmakers also made their call in front of Lincoln High School, in the district of freshman Republican state Sen. Joe Picozzi. Lawmakers went after Picozzi several times in speeches, demanding he call on GOP leaders to bring mass transit funding to a vote.

Picozzi was also named by Shapiro at an event in the city Friday, when he was responding to a question about how people can plan for the proposed SEPTA cuts.

"If that person lives in Northeast Philadelphia, call Sen. Picozzi, who's a Republican in the state Senate, and tell him to go back to Harrisburg and vote to pass transit funding," Shapiro said.

Lawmakers look for more accountability, revenue for SEPTA

Picozzi did release a statement Monday that said in part, "Since taking office, I have been working to deliver crucial funding to keep our trains and buses running. I have introduced legislation to make SEPTA safer and bring additional accountability, which is supported by SEPTA leadership."

The legislation Picozzi refers to was introduced in late July. It would, in part, require SEPTA to present a report every other year on its progress of "achieving fiscal solvency or profitability" and how it used funds provided by the state.

While that legislation doesn't provide new funding, state Sen. Frank Farry, a Republican from Bucks County and co-sponsor of the bill, said it's something lawmakers needed to see.

"One of the pieces that we hear, some cases in the district, some cases out in Harrisburg, is just to ensure with the amount of money the state is giving them, that there's safeguards in place to help with the efficiencies and oversight of SEPTA," Farry said.

Farry, whose district is home to multiple SEPTA lines, said he is a supporter of the transit agency. But he says lawmakers are looking for new revenue streams to fund public transit, pointing to plans like one that would tax skill video games.

"As long as we get something in that space that generates that new revenue, I think that's what gets the ball rolling downhill to get this thing solved," Farry said.

Where talks stand in Harrisburg

Where negotiations stand on public transit funding, and the state budget as a whole, is a bit of a moving target, however. Shapiro declined to give details when asked Friday, saying that while talks are "taking longer" than he'd like, but adding, "I think we're going to get there."

In a letter to colleagues Sunday that was obtained by CBS News Philadelphia, Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman said "some progress" was made on outstanding issues, but that "much work remains" before a deal is done. Pittman said in the letter it was "possible" senators would reconvene in Harrisburg this week, but "no sooner than Thursday."

SEPTA officials told CBS News Philadelphia on Monday they do not yet have an exact date by which they would need to receive funding to stave off these cuts, but that it would be around mid-August. This would also mark only the first round of planned reductions. Without funding, the agency would eliminate another 24 routes in January, including five Regional Rail lines, and install a 9 p.m. curfew on remaining subway and regional rail routes.

Farry said he "remains hopeful" a deal will get done to fund transit. But will it come in time to stave off cuts?

"Can it be done in 20 days? It sure can," Farry said. "Harrisburg is not used to moving very fleetly."