Chicago media and politicians silent on tax but loud on free Senior CTA services

It's amazing that the debate in the "Chicago" newspapers is about criticism that Gov. Rod Blagojevich wants to give senior citizens a free ride on the corrupt and inefficient CTA system, and the unreliable and sparse service of METRA.

It should be on the fact that Chicago's powerful politicians have once again bullied the six-county region into raising the sales tax .25 percent to bailout the CTA, rather than forcing the CTA to cut its waste, fire those loser bureaucrats and question the excessive benefits that CTA and all government workers get from taxpayer-funded government service.

The state and city revenues from the sales tax already go up, when prices go up. But the revenue isn't increasing fast enough for Mayor Daley or Mike Madigan, who is battling Gov. Blagojevich over who is and who isn't the governor of Illinois. Madigan wants to be the governor without running for office.

Here are some facts:

-- While residents of the suburbs are paying to bail out the bloated, corrupt, and inefficient CTA, residents of Chicago pay nothing to help the suburban public bus system. Yet, about 20 percent of the riders are Chicagoans, off-setting the claim that suburbanites "burden" the CTA and therefore suburbanites should share in bailing it out.

-- Half of the revenue from the increase in the sales tax, proposed by Julie Hamos who is a suburbanite whose district includes the only part of the CTA that goes into the suburbs. The remaining revenue would be given to the collar counties for "transportation needs or public safety." Yeah, right. More money for roads that should have come from the state but Chicago legislators won't approve increases for the suburbs. In reality, the suburbs will end up paying more to use METRA.

-- Oh yeah. Metra will be raising its rates by 10 percent. The 10 percent hike takes effect Feb. 1.

Blagojevich letter on special session

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
SPRINGFIELD 62706
Rod Blagojevich
GOVERNOR December 20, 2007

Honorable members of the General Assembly:

As you know, despite the immediate and growing need to fund the Chicagoland mass transit system, Speaker Madigan decided to cancel session this week. This delay leaves millions of people waiting in uncertainty. I had hoped to receive legislation on my desk before the end of the calendar year. I considered calling a special session this week, but was informed by the legislative leaders that many of their members would be unavailable, and that it would be counterproductive to call them in right before their holiday break.

It has been ninety-two days since the Senate approved a capital plan with bipartisan support. That plan also provided for $200 million in interim relief for mass transit. In the three months since, the House has taken no action. Additionally, twice in the past four months I have been forced to bail out the Chicago Transit Authority to avoid crippling service cuts and fare hikes. In the absence of a permanent funding source, these bailouts have totaled almost $100 million.

Transit riders deserve better. The people of this state deserve better. As such, I am writing to notify you that I will call for a Special Session after the holiday break, beginning January 2, 2008, and to ask you to work quickly to pass a statewide infrastructure plan, so that there is also sufficient support for a long-term solution to mass transit funding. As I have said before, I support Representative Saviano’s plan, or a comparable plan, to provide mass transit funding by redirecting the sales tax on gasoline in the RTA region. This legislation received a near-majority of 57 votes on November 28, even though many members were absent or failed to vote on the measure.

With the RTA prepared to implement drastic layoffs, service cuts and fare increases on January 20 if no agreement is reached, our time is running out. You must focus on passing legislation in this short timeframe. There will be only 18 days to work before the transit doomsday, so you should be prepared to meet as often as needed during that period.

I am providing this notice now so that all members of the General Assembly can make arrangements to be present, and be prepared to vote. Let’s start the New Year on a great note by passing a long-term solution for mass transit. The citizens of Illinois are relying on us to get the job done.

Sincerely,

Rod Blagojevich
Abby Ottenhoff Director of Communications Office of Gov. Rod Blagojevich

Governor challenges Madigan's cancellation of session

Sadly, it’s not surprising that Speaker Madigan would, at the last minute, cancel a scheduled session to consider a plan to fund the CTA. That unfortunately has been more the rule than the exception over the last three months. The Governor has taken unilateral action twice to prevent a CTA doomsday. We agree with Mayor Daley, the CTA, the RTA and the transit unions that the legislature needs to pass a plan that properly funds mass transit before the end of the year. That’s why we are continuing to work with the Senate President and the two Republican legislative leaders on a comprehensive plan to fund mass transit in the Chicago area and transportation needs across the whole state, with the intention of calling the legislature back into session next week to take action.

Abby Ottenhoff

Director of Communications
Office of Gov. Rod Blagojevich