Oct 29, 2007 10:34 pm US/Central
Despite Looming CTA Cuts, No Action In Springfield
Lawmakers Will Vote On Funding Plan Friday At Earliest
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
With the doomsday deadline looming for the CTA and Pace, politicians are doing a lot of talking behind the scenes, but there's no action in Springfield and none planned before Friday at the earliest. That may be too little, too late to avert the CTA cuts come Monday.
House Speaker Michael Madigan said his chamber would vote Friday on a transit funding proposal that failed a few weeks ago.
"I think more people in the House and Senate have had a chance to consider that this is a good, solid bill that ought to pass," Madigan said.
He and his House Democrats argue that while their six-county regional sales tax proposal would add two and a half cents to the cost of a $10 purchase, it would provide the long-term funding solution transit officials have been seeking.
"Again, with one exception, there's been no criticism of the bill," Madigan said.
But that one exception is Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Madigan's foremost political enemy, who hasn't budged from his vow to veto any tax increase. For now, there's no clear resolution in sight that would avoid Monday's cutbacks.
Fifty thousand city college students and 100,000 public high school students use the CTA each day. Appearing with students whose commute to school would be severely disrupted by the impending service cuts, Mayor Richard M. Daley on Monday noted that Madigan's sales tax proposal previously fell short.
Daley's open to alternative solutions and had rare praise for the embattled Blagojevich.
"He lives in the city. He understands that the CTA is the lifeblood of every community," Daley said. "This is do or die time for the Chicago Transit Authority and the RTA."
Daley had this message for Springfield: "We've talked about it for a whole year. Let's just get it done. It's simple as that."
Sources on all sides hinted that, with the deadline looming, some progress had been made behind the scenes.
"We've had some very fruitful discussions and negotiations. I don't plan to reveal the substance of those discussions and negotiations today [Monday]," Madigan said.
Republican House leader Tom Cross has insisted that unless there's a statewide capital bill worth billions of dollars for roads, bridges, schools and other projects, he won't sign on to a transit solution. There's some hint that connection is taking place involving a new casino in Chicago, perhaps slot machines at race tracks around the state and additional casinos elsewhere in the state.
If lawmakers in Springfield don't come up with a funding solution, fare hikes and service cuts for CTA and Pace begin on Sunday, Nov. 4.
"People feel great uncertainty," Daley said. "And they don't want this trauma over the weekend."
But it seems that's exactly what we're going to get. Madigan believes the legislature would override any veto by the governor, but again, that would only come after days of painful cutbacks for commuters.
Increasingly, it seems that may be what it takes to break this logjam of political egos.
CTA employee Ron Grazian was one of many out on the streets Monday, handing out flyers detailing the upcoming service cuts and fare hikes and asking people to contact their state legislators to urge the state to come up with long-term funding for mass transit.
The agency wants customers to take a look at its Web site so they know which bus routes are being cut and what kind of alternative game plan to have.
"We put the routes on there so they know these routes will be eliminated if there's no action, and we also have another form that we're giving people for alternate service," Grazian said.
The CTA is set to eliminate 39 bus routes and raise fares 25 cents to a dollar depending on the time of day and mode of transport. You can find a complete list of the affected CTA routes
here.
There will also be more than 600 layoffs.
Pace will be forced to discontinue 10 weekday routes,10 Saturday routes, one Sunday route and 36 Metra feeder routes effective Sunday. You can find a complete list of the affected Pace routes
here. All remaining Metra feeder routes will be cut effective Dec. 3.
Fare increases also must go forward on Sunday for Pace, including local and remaining Metra Feeder/Shuttle routes rising to $1.50, vanpool fares increasing 10 percent, and all ADA paratransit service region-wide rising to $3.00. Further, Pace will no longer accept the ADA monthly pass, or the CTA 7-Day, U-Pass, or Visitor/Fun Passes starting Nov. 4.
The news is not easy on the ears of those who depend on public transportation.
"I think I'm going to be doing a lot of walking," said CTA rider Linda Marti. "I don't know, it's depressing."
Marti might end up sticking with public transportation, but Huberman estimates they'll lose about 100,000 daily customers if the doomsday plan happens.
One traffic expert from DePaul University says that would create a crisis.
"We're going to see a bit of a crush on ... the highways," Joseph Schweiterman said. "There's going to be demand for taxicabs and it could throw traffic enough that we're all going to feel the pain. This is really going to be a tough time."
Despite the Sunday deadline, there doesn't seem to be a sense of urgency from lawmakers or the governor. In fact, the House won't reconvene until Thursday at 1 p.m. A vote is expected on Friday. The Senate won't even show up in Springfield until noon on Friday. CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery will report from Springfield starting this Thursday to cover this special legislative session.
CBS 2's Mike Flannery, Derrick Blakley, Kristyn Hartman and Todd Feurer contributed to this report.cbs2chicago.com's Most Popular Pages
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