(CENTRALIA, IL) — With the first downstate mass transit district closing its doors over the weekend, officials with South Central Transit are asking the public to contact lawmakers and urge the release of millions in downstate transit funds. Sheila Niederhofer, Executive Director of South Central Transit says SCT’s situation isn’t as immediately dire as that of West Central Transit that stopped services Saturday. Buses have already stopped running in Jacksonville and dozens of others transit districts say they may close as well if they don’t receive more state money soon. Niederhofer explained that SCT has managed to stay operational through borrowing from its line of credit. But, if state payments are not received in the next month or so they will be forced to begin suspending services starting December 1^st. Niederhofer says public transit could end in Mt. Vernon and Centralia as part of service cuts, but the board is working on a plan that would at least allow medical transportation services to continue in the six counties in which it operates, including Clinton, Jefferson, and Marion. According to Niederhofer, in the six counties in which SCT operates, they provide rides to an average of 2,000 people per day. The state owes 53 downstate mass transit districts about $150 million. Niederhofer says SCT is owed $2.5 million and hasn’t received any payments since July 1, the beginning of their 2017 fiscal year. The Illinois Comptroller’s office has said October and November are very lean months for tax collections. The comptroller’s office also said Illinois has a nearly $7 billion backlog of other unpaid bills.