Chicago Area Local News

(CBS) We asked you for your reaction to the mass transit bailout finally being completed and to the time and cost of reaching the deal. Here's what you had to say:


I don't think the solution is to continually bail out an organization that is poorly run. I think everyone who has ever taken mass transit can relate that riders wait forever for a bus on their route to show up, only to have two or three busses from the same route arrive together. The front bus is full, and the one behind it rides around empty. If this were a rare exception I wouldn't mention it, but it happens almost daily on every bus route I've ever taken....starting from very early in the morning. Given the amount of technology available nowadays I can't imagine there isn't some way to improve this. Don't cancel routes, just pull about 1/3 of the busses off of the roads since they're all bunched up anyhow. Instead of trying to figure out how they can manage themselves more effeciently, the mass transit system spends their time trying to incite fear in people by threatening to cancel routes, and posting signs all around the city. If the system is so poor anyhow, why are they spending millions on system and station upgrades - people don't need larger platforms, and nicer entrances, they need to get to work.
I think Seniors should get a huge discount on their fares. I met an older man once who came to our company looking for work because he couldn't afford to live on the $500/mo he was getting from Social Security. $500/month. I couldn't believe it. Who can live on $500/mo in the city? I don't think Seniors would abuse it as a "mode of entertainment" as one person wrote earlier. I really think they have better things to do - riding the bus or train is not entertaining. GOD help us all if we can't have the humanity to help our elderly. -- Teresa

This is just great. Now I get the privilege of paying more for my commute via Metra so that the seniors have a mode of entertainment. Now that they can ride free they will be clogging up the train cars, riding around all day for something to do. The trains are crowded enough now and they will be even more crowded with seniors riding free downtown and back after viewing all of us workers running like ninnies to get to our jobs on time or back home. Only we will be standing on the train back and forth and they will be nice and comfortable viewing us and shaking their heads in amazement from their free seats. --Carolyn Dillon

As usual, we suburbanites pay for Chicago's FREE RIDE! How about the GOV move to Springfield and save all that airplane FUEL or pay matching funds into mass transit! He's already doubled costs for the trucking industry in this state – but that's all right, small truckers don't need to make a living. What's another little tax increase. --Glen

The entire state legislature needs to be flushed clean. Until we do, these types of things will continue to go on and on and on. Nobody in Springfield has the guts to stand up and just say no. When is enough, enough? Remember what founded this great country of ours.....the Boston Tea Party, over what....taxes. Although we cannot have another revolution, its about time people are held accountable and the citizens have a say on what goes on. What about term limits? Recall elections? We have far too many state and federal politicians making a career out of this. It is astounding to me that the people of IL and this country put up with this nonsense. The system is broke, wake up people. We NEED a say.
--Joe Denise

I would have liked to see a reasonable compromise on the free ride for seniors reduced in half to "seniors ride at half price". That way the Gov. would have had some satisfaction in his sneaky, 11th hour tactic and the seniors would still benefit yet we would keep more for CTA funding and improvements. They could have even gone as far as half price rides for seniors and the disabled....then we could have provided relief to a large pool yet kept the cost at about the same level.
It is a shame the democratic process is not alive and well and living in Illinois!!
--Susan S.

Goes to show you how childish and stuborn our elected poloticians are.this whole ordeal has cost the Illinois taxpayers plenty,and still don't believe that the problem is fully resolved.Confrontation of egos has reach a all new high,AND WE THE TAXPAYERS WILL SUFFER EVEN MORE.
--Bryan, Chicago

I don't see how the State funded bailout for the Chicago transit system will change things. No one has been made accountable for how the transit system budgeted there finances or how they are going to be made accountable for future failures. Politicians just keep digging deeper into the taxpayers pockets for more money to squander instead of working on solutions and to insist these agences be accountable for their spending habits. We need to start at the top and cut some of the high payting executive positions that should be eliminated due to "non-productivity in trying to balance the Transit System budget". Without insisting on accountability the money situation will only continue to escalate and we'll be doing this same "bailout procedure in the future" which continues to hurt the tax payers. Enough is enough !!
--Kathy Smith

Not only did Blago pander to a voting block but it was the way he did it. He didn't tell anybody until the tenth hour (reminds me of Dally & Meigs Field), an unscrupulous tactic that circumvents DEMOCRACY !
Checks & Balances are put in place for a reason. Putting a GUN to the HEAD of your own party, is a new low & a despicable tactic in Illinois politics (which does not surprise me one bit) ! ! ! He has no ethics whatsoever. If he looked in a mirror it would BREAK ! ! Speaking of breaking, how about that campaign promise. His word or telling the truth on any subject is non existent. I don't get it , what more proof does Illinois need. If you were married & your spouse was using tactics like this, would you stay married ?
--Brad Stewart

Letting seniors ride for free is a good idea and a good mask to increase taxes. sure it helps bail out the transit ordeal but for the people that don't take mass transit, they have to pay for higher gas prices and now on top of that, a tax increase? most suburbanites don't use mass transit but the tax increase is doubled compared to the city.

finally something has been given back to the city letting seniors ride for free but at what cost? i am not surprised coming from someone that won their second term by letting the public know the incompetence of his opponent. just waiting to hear that "alcohol made me do it".
--LT, Chicago

As a DuPage County resident and chair of a paratransit system (Ride DuPage), I am very happy for seniors who have access to transportation and can now ride free. This deal does nothing for seniors and people with disabilities who do not already have access to fixed routes. A free ride on non-existent vehicles is no bargain. DuPage taxpayers will have to pay more sales tax for public safety while paratransit, the most expensive of public transportation systems, will likely go less or unfunded. This deal promises fewer fixed routes and growing unmet needs for all DuPage residents. While we supported the original bill, the Governor has done more harm than good. This pothole-filled road to an agreement creates too many flat tires.
--William Waldack

I noticed a lot of people commenting on the Metra in this discussion. I used to take the Metra downtown from Lisle, to save on gas and parking. Since this wasn't a regular trip, I didn't have a need for a monthly parking pass. So I went to Lisle city hall and bought one of their daily parking passes. Now they don't offer one, and Lisle also doesn't off any other type of daily parking possibilities, so what do I do now? I drive downtown, and pay to park there! If Metra wants more riders, they should find a way for occasional users to park near their stations.
--Pete

One troubling thing I have with this entire transit budget mess, is the slow crawl and all the whining by our elected officials to get this deal done. This budget 'crisis' didn't just happen a few weeks ago, and I find it totally irresponsible of these officials to play chess games with the doomsday tactics – leaving a ton of people wondering how in the heck they will get to work and help make ends meet for their families well being. This didn't happen just once, it happened twice – and right down to the damned bewitching hour. For some folks, public transportation IS the only way for them to get to work and then back home. The problem with governments and their 'budgets' – nobody understands or respects what a budget stands for. If you over spend, start with pay cuts amongst these elected officials as a penalty rather than patting yourselves on the backs by voting on a 10 percent salary increase. These types of salary increases left our working world decades ago. Tell us all you needed this increase to help make ends meet, and you'll have a riot on your hands for sure. What is scary here, is that we have elected officials making decisions on our behalf, clueless of what is going on in the real world. For crying out loud, one person voted no for this mass transit funding because he didn't like the governor. Screw the people and what they need, this guy is going to take his ball and go home.
--Jeff Petter


I also find it interesting that the 'collar counties' gripe about their slight portion of the tax increase, and why they should have to pay anything towards mass transit because they don't use it, blah blah blah blah. Hmmm, I'm going to pay a 10 percent increase in my Metra fares each of the next 3 years AND pay this tax increase. Even with all that going on, without a 10 percent salary increase mind you, I'm probably still going to spend my hard earned monies in YOUR business districts – be it breakfast, lunch, dinner, food, clothes, etc……during my work weeks. Get off of your little soap boxes and enjoy the taxing frenzies our elected officials have thrown in our faces just like the rest of us. We elected these people, we should be sending them Thank You cards for crying out loud!
My advice is this – take your gripes to the poll booths next election and do something about it. And stop voting for the 2 year olds. I think we (the tax payers) should have had a voice in this deal. Some outside firm should research the needless spending before any decision was made. Soon our pay checks can be sent directly to government agencies.
-- Laura Siracusa, Arlington Heights

Mayor Daley and Rep. Madigan should stop beating up Gov. Blagoivich on every thing he does. If it isn't their way it's the highway. They just want the Gov. to look bad so Mike's kid Lisa can be the Gov. The transit deal is a good one because if Blagoivich wanted to put free rides for Seniors in the begining Daley and Madigan would have nothing to do with it and make the Gov. look like a bad guy once again. He's a good man!
-- Andrew Szorc

I resent once again having to pay for public transport that has little to offer us in the collar counties and nothing for myself. Let those that ride on the CTA pay for the CTA. Why do the collar counties once again bail out Chicago specific problems once again. If I have to pay extra local tax then let it be used to help DuPage County solve their own local financial problems.
-- John

I live in Algonquin, and work in Wauconda - What benefit does the transit system provide me? I can use Metra three times a year; when I travel downtown. Why should I pay a higher sales tax rate for other people's transportation?

What representation did I receive in Springfield? Daley wanted more transit funding - downstate Illinois did not want to fund Chicago's transportation system - but somehow the political structure decides to single out the collar counties to support a system that only feeds Chicago. You have to wonder anytime a political body decides to treat its constituents on a selective basis.

How does Blagojevich decide that seniors get special treatment? A lot of people could use free transportation: the disabled, students, Veterans, the poor, etc. Once again, one should be suspicious of biased governments. I am sure Blagojevich did manage to secure some senior votes in the next election with his last minute grandstand move.

The real shame of the situation is that a tax increase could have been used to develop improved systems such as high speed rail or adding Metra lines that would help reduce automobile traffic, lower oil consumption, and prevent CO2 emissions.
-- Dean Popish

I am sick to death of having to pay for everyone else's rise in fuel costs. Who does the consumer get to charge? I drive to work, so my fuel costs are higher just like everyone else's. My husband travels to the Loop via Metra. His monthly ticket price will increase by 10%. And we live in DuPage county, where our sales tax will also be increased to bail Chicago out of this transit mess. Double wammy. I can't say I'm mad about the free rides for seniors, but would have preferred legislation for a discounted price instead of a free ride.
A vote for a Democrat is a vote for higher taxes. Remember that when you go to the polls on Feb 5.
-- C. Czar, Wheaton

I am upset with our lawmakers in Springfield for once again making the average citizen pay more. The fact that the legislature has to be in special sessions should just point out the fact at what kind of cushy jobs they have. I am not saying that some of them do not work hard or don't have a work ethic, it's just sad to see people whom my tax money pays for, and makes more money than me, don't even have to be at work full-time. I understand that when the rules of how sessions are called and set up that the flow of information was slow at best, but times have changed, no longer are we travelling by covered wagon, let's get legislaters who work for us more often by being in session nearly full-time. I am also upset that the way the govenor acts but I don't have enough time to write all of my points on this. This deal of seniors riding for free, while nice in theory, doesn't really help the people who need to ride for free. Many seniors are on a fixed income and right now they pay half the fair on CTA. Perhaps a better idea would have been a reduction of fare based on income. This would allow many seniors cheaper rates and allow people with disabilities better access and help the poor working folk. Meanwhile rates on Metra are going up, even with the bailout. This leads me to believe that the collar communities are paying for the CTA's problems. I think that Ron Huberman is doing a better job than many leaders before, but more needs to be done. The CTA needs to look at its rail lines and buses and maybe reorganize them to better use the resources available. One idea is to put a pink line stop at Jackson that will serve the United Center.
Other ideas take a look at the number 7 and 156 bus routes, these two routes run along the Forest Park branch of the Blue line, why can't users walk one more block to get to the train stop? The CTA might want to look into a system like the metro in Washington, DC.
They use a distance based system for fare costs.
The bailout was nice, it's nice to not have to worry about service cuts. However, we have to be realistic fares are going up, just not on CTA. If chicago truly wants to host the Olympics, lets get a system in place that can transport millions of people across town and uses all of its resources wisely. --Andre S.

I'm glad it's settled. Transit is the sane antidote to the obsession with the automobile and crippling transit financially really scared me. Good for the governor that he's helping seniors. Shame on my fellow citizenry who resent helping old folks. See what happens when yuppies take over the city?
--Rene Heybach, Chicago

I'm one of the "wealthy" seniors referred to in an e-mail by a "young" worker, and though I question the wisdom of most of what happens in Springfield, I'll gladly accept a free ride to subsidize my $683.00 a month Social Security.
--Nettie

The recent transit deal to avert doomsday in Chicago is well overdue even though the agreement will allow senior citizens to ride at lower costs or for free. Some of the lawmakers will raise a big stink on why Governor Blagojevich did not resolve this matter sooner in Springfield. So be it!! On the other hand, if the lawmakers did not resolve this matter by January 20, 2008, the riders in Chicagoland area would have been forced to pay higher fares for bus rides because of the quagmire. The fact is that a raise in the sales tax -- albeit painful -- is necessary for everyone to maintain the smooth flow of transporting passengers to their assigned bus routes in and around Chicago. By the same token, funding for mass transportation is a responsibility that cannot be taken lightly. Everyone has to work in unison in order to maintain funding for mass transportation in Chicago; today, tomorrow and in the years to come. Blaming Governor Blagojevich will not solve the problem even though some people will say differently. Any Questions? 
--Eric L. Ellis, Floyds Knobs, Indiana

In appreciation for the transit deal for senior citizens, my husband and I will take more frequent Metra trips to Chicago from our northern suburb. We'll probably spend more money in Chicago than we'll save with the free transit rides. We enjoy Chicago's parks, stores, restaurants and special events, and we'll enjoy spending a little more leisure time in the best big city in the world.
--Roberta Frush

The bailout of the CTA is a taxpayers rip-off. If the system is not self-sufficient, it should be adjusted with rider funds or dissolved. Taxpayers should not have to subsidize riders. Riders do not have the expenses the majority of taxpayers have, car payments, insurance, maintenance, and fuel costs. They need to pay more to ride if it is too expensive buy an automobile. As for the seniors riding for free, this is discrimination. Why can't I ride for free? I'm too young? What is the difference if we, lets say they said only Irish Americans can ride for free? There would be an uproar!!! The Governor, Representatives (that voted for this), and Senators (that voted for this) need to be replaced ASAP.
--Larry Dunn, Gurnee

Living in far northwest Illinois, my tax dollars will increase, but I still have no public transportation option where I live. It is not my choice, it is just not available up here. So I will continue to purchase whatever i need in Wisconsin which has only a 5 1/2% sales tax. Here is an idea, lets look at how Wisconsin can have a sales tax rate of 5 1/2%. No toll booths, much better road conditions and rest stops, public transportation in the ciyt of Milwaukee as well as collar cities. Milwaukee transit just had a fare increase last month. Adult cash fare will increase 25 cents to $2.00. Persons 65 years of age or older must present a valid Medicare card and cash: $1.00. How can they do it?
--Anonymous

Public transportation is more than just a bus ride. If you use Metra you have rail transportation to the city and suburbs then you can catch a bus or an elevated train to your destination. Antiquated equipment needs to be upgraded because of government mandates that must include accessible transportation for the handicap. Well lit and clean terminals with security are in demand by the riders. This increases cost without the necessary funding and fare increases which are usually regulated, otherwise public transportation would be cost prohibitive for many of the riders. Milwaukee is a small city compared to Chicago and its collar counties and suburbs. People rely on and use public transportation so it has to be there. Even people of Milwaukee come to Chicago or one of it suburbs to work or play and they also have a need for public transportation. The publicized funding bill included roads and bridges and other hidden pork for all of those who think they are getting the short end of the stick. The only problem was that public transportation stood out like a sore thumb. Next time you pull up to the pump to fill up the car or SUV thank public transportation for being there because one day you might just want to leave the vehicle parked in the garage.
--Wayne P.

I depend on the CTA to get to and from work and I'm glad that the funding crisis is resolved. I fault the legislators for letting their egos get in the way of a swift resolution to this problem. The eleventh hour settlement did not have to happen. I feel all voters should voice their displeasure at the the next election. The governor, state senators, and state representatives are elected to serve our interests and should not act like squabbling children.
--Merrie T., Chicago

This transit mess has to be a textbook case for bad government. First, the money wasted on the extra legislative sessions pales in comparison to the money wasted by not doing a deal and accepting the union's concessions last spring. Then for the governor to pander to seniors the way he did was unconscionable. Why should young working men and women pay more for transit rides, which they will eventually have to do, just so wealthy seniors can ride free? For that matter, why should all transit riders not help pay for the higher cost of energy the way that drivers do? If we are ever going to encourage energy conservation in this country, we all have to start paying for the true costs of using fossil fuels.
--Cinda Pittman


I would like to respond to the comment made by Cinda regarding the free bus rides for Senior Citizens. She couldn't understand why the younger people should be paying for the free rides for "Wealthy Seniors", first off, regardless of whether or not the Senior is one of means, they've paid their fair share of taxes over the years. I'm not a Senior yet, but not too far from it, and I had no children, yet, I had to pay taxes for Public Schools, if Cinda went to Public School, my real estate taxes had a hand in paying for that. Not to mention that many of our Seniors served in World War 2, Korea and Viet Nam, risking their lives, as the young men and women in Iraq are doing today, so that you could complain about giving free bus rides to Senior Citizens. Get a grip, Cinda, we paid our dues over and over again. It's your turn now.
--Suzanne Caley

I feel this was a big waste of taxpayer money and is a complete joke. We that live in the collar counties of Illinois get hit with the same old bull of having to bail the city of Chicago out of their mess. This is totally unfair because we have no way of using mass transit and surely would not drive 60 some miles in order to ride some stupid bus or train for free, nonsense in the utmost realm. I don't expect you to comment on this because it is against you big city people. Now all this state needs is for more industry and families to move out of it and then you should all be very happy, of which I am about to start looking for a different state for us.
--A very unhappy citizen, Bill

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