Oct 31, 2007 10:36 pm US/Central
CTA Deal Rumored To Be On Horizon
'Doomsday' Looms Just 4 Days Away As Legislators And Governor Finally Head To Springfield
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
The countdown to CTA cutbacks is ticking, and time is not on passengers' side.
CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine reports on a last-minute deal that might keep mass transit rolling.
With just four days until the Chicago Transit Authority's "doomsday," the governor and state legislators are getting ready Wednesday night to return to Springfield. There are hopes that a leaders' meeting Thursday will lead to a Friday vote for new money for mass transit.
"I think it's a good bill and it will pass," House Speaker Michael Madigan said Monday.
Madigan last spoke publicly on Monday while proposing an increase in gaming, a casino in Chicago and a new boat downstate. Tax revenue from that would go for road construction, satisfying downstate lawmakers balking at the CTA bailout.
"I expect that bill will pass on Friday if not linked to anything but the merits of the bill," Madigan said.
But the promise of new casino money could persuade Republicans to back it. And there are indications Wednesday night that they are so close, that Gov. Rod Blagojevich, before leaving Thursday for Springfield, is leaning toward asking the CTA not to start implementing its contingency plan, even though it's not the solution he envisioned last month.
"I'm determined to keep working to find a solution that provides the long-term help to keep mass transit up and running in the Chicagoland area that does not raise taxes on people," Blagojevich said Sept. 12.
The bill does call for mass transit in the Chicago area to be subsidized by a quarter percent increase in the sales tax.
"Nobody's in favor of tax increases, but this is not a big tax increase," Madigan said.
Would the governor go for even a tiny tax increase? The bill's proposed increase would mean 25 cents on every $100. He may not have to, because if Madigan gets enough votes to pass it, he may also have enough to override a veto from the governor. It's a deal that could make everyone happy, especially Chicago-area commuters.
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