Top News

CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker and WBBM Newsradio 780's Bob Roberts contributed to this report.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) ― The fight to keep the CTA running is back in Springfield. Gov. Rod Blagojevich summoned the new CTA boss Wednesday, to make his case for $110 million in additional state funds.

CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker reports that bosses of the Regional Transportation Authority weren't invited and are worried that suburban commuters could get the shaft.

A room full of angry riders minced few words as they expressed their feelings about the the CTA's "doomsday" proposal to double fares and reduce bus service if the agency does not get the money it is seeking from Springfield.

"We will not give CTA no money if you continue with this ridiculous attitude and stealing money out of the pockets of the poor," said one rider at Wednesday's CTA board meeting.

Riders had hoped to deliver their threats to CTA President Ron Huberman and Chairwoman Carole Brown, but late Wednesday morning the two were summoned to Springfield. The governor asked both to come to Springfield to discuss the CTA's budget.

State officials say that discussion is really an opportunity for CTA leaders to convince legislative leaders to bail out the agency. But the $100 million bailout is only enough to cover the CTA's deficit, not enough to cover financial problems at Metra or Pace.

"If that idea gains currency i believe it's a bad idea," said RTA Chairman Jim Reilly

The RTA oversees public transit for the city and suburbs. Reilly says Metra faces a $60 million deficit. Pace is looking at a $25 million deficit.

"We would bankrupt some of the suburban transit providers … Pace will have to cut services and raise fares like the CTA if they don't get additional funding," Reilly said.

Pace riders are just as concerned as CTA customers.

"I don't think they run them enough as it is and if they cut them back, in the suburbs it's really tough to use public transportation," said one Pace rider at Wednesday's hearing.

WBBM Newsradio 780's Bob Roberts reports that the RTA has advocated a one-for-all approach, and Pace is in no less of a financial crisis than the CTA.

The RTA last month advocated an increase of from 1 to 1.25 percent in the sales tax in Cook County to fund RTA operations, and an increase from .25 to .75 percent in the collar counties, with half of that amount going into an "innovations fund" that the counties would control.

It also advocated a .3 percent increase in the City of Chicago title transfer tax, which Mayor Richard M. Daley almost immediately spoke against.

To date, the governor has not indicated any willingness to consider the increase, although a governor's office spokesman told WBBM Newsradio 780 the governor's staff would study it.

The RTA seeks $226 million to close the gaps in this year's operating budgets. After two rounds of administrative cuts, the CTA would have at least a $92 million gap remaining, Metra $60 million and Pace $56 million, including $27 million for area-wide paratransit service.

The RTA also seeks $10 billion over five years for infrastructure.

The transit funding formula was last modified in 1983. The CTA contends that the existing formula has slowly starved it, because suburban funding has grown at a much quicker rate.

But Metra and Pace also contend now that the formula is outdated and that new funding sources are needed.

Illinois Auditor General William Holland agreed in a study completed earlier this year, although Holland urged that the RTA be given greater oversight power to eliminate waste and duplication of service, and to referee disputes among transit agencies in the region.

Legislation that would provide the operation portion of the package and the oversight powers surfaced in the Senate late last month.

(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)