Oct 9, 2007 5:57 pm US/Central
Another CTA Doomsday Coming
Fare Hikes And Service Cuts Look More Likely This Time
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
CTA riders should put doomsday back on the calendar.
CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports the region's top transit executived delivered a harsh message that a short-term bailout is not an option, meaning service cuts and fare increases may become a reality soon.
Tuesday's warning was aimed at Governor Blagojevich and other politicians who've so far done little or nothing about the transit funding crisis.
"We will not accept a short term fix again," RTA executive director Steve Schlickman said.
Some legislators at a hearing before the State House Mass Transit Committee in Chicago on Tuesday did seem alarmed by Schlickman's warning that only a long-term financial fix would avert big service cuts and fare increases next month.
A leading suburban Republican, though, suggested that budgetary doomsday might actually be good for the CTA.
"We should see what doomsday looks like. And I'm not sure that the populace in general is totally convinced that our transit system is as efficient as it could be," State Sen. Christine Radogno (R-Lemont) said.
Sources told CBS 2 News the Chicago Transit Authority later this week will estimate its 2008 operating deficit at more than $150 million. In addition, officials said they need billions of dollars to repair buses and trains.
"Well, the buses are getting older. We run these buses 17 hours a day. We have put off preventative maintenance that we simply cannot put off any longer and keep our trains moving safely," CTA President Ron Huberman said.
Gov. Blagojevich has vowed to veto a House-approved transit aid bill because it would raise the sales tax. His refusal to draft an alternative bill of his own leaves legislators feeling frustrated.
"I know that the governor has his own ideas on this. Some of us are a little more practical," State Rep. Julie Hamos (D-Evanston) said.
"Unfortunately, the governor's opposing that legislation. And that's a huge problem. He's playing political games with fixing our transit system," said Brian Imus of the Illinois Public Interest Research Group.
Fare hikes and elimination of 39 bus routes on Nov. 4th looks much more likely now. With time running out, Gov. Blagojevich offers only a vague "menu" of long-term revenue items, without really pushing for any of them.
And later this week, the CTA will detail an even larger second round of cuts scheduled for January.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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