* As we’ve already discussed, the RTA put federal into its operating base and now faces a “fiscal cliff” of $730 million a year in 2026 when the money dries up. That’s about 20 percent of the RTA’s operating base. The governor was asked about this today. His response…
Well, let’s back up and recognize that there have been a significant investments by the federal government during this period of COVID-19 that have been designed to assist RTA and CTA through this very difficult time. So our expectation is that many of those dollars will be extraordinarily helpful.
We also have increased because the sales tax dollars that have been coming into the state, we increasec the sales tax base when I became governor, and they are receiving $100 million more per year than they have ever before.
And so the combination of those increased dollars should be helpful in helping to deal with this fiscal cliff, as it’s been called. But I also think the federal government is going to look at, this is happening all over the country. And so I do think the federal government needs to step up and look at how we can get past this in a combined effort.
- Just Me 2 - Wednesday, Dec 14, 22 @ 11:50 am:
It’s always easier to spend other people’s money. Of course he is going to put blame at the federal government’s feet. But they’ve given a lot recently, and they’re done.
What reforms has the RTA implemented recently before just asking for more cash?
- thisjustinagain - Wednesday, Dec 14, 22 @ 11:53 am:
Wondering how many transit systems are in the same level of denial, since old-style RTA mass transit ridership has dropped and is not rebounding? The Yard Social Club/Starline Chicago has written about the major changes needed for sustainable transit, but these changes require an almost-total change from the the ‘commuter model’ and even more money to initiate a true ‘public transit’ model.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 14, 22 @ 11:57 am:
===What reforms has the RTA implemented===
Use the Google key. Report back.
To the post,
===But I also think the federal government is going to look at, this is happening all over the country. And so I do think the federal government needs to step up and look at how we can get past this in a combined effort.===
The follow up for the governor might be how he has been very good during this entire time with all things Covid;
Look, listen, assess, than implement..
This governor has done those steps, be it masking, hospitals, etc., it’s been about taking that measured look, listen to the first feedback, assess what is good or bad with a path, then implement a course of action that can maximize results.
Let’s see if this pattern continues.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Dec 14, 22 @ 12:10 pm:
I disagree with the governor in that the Feds should add any funding here. This seems to be something the RTA should solve, or at least make significant improvement before going to a bailout.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Dec 14, 22 @ 12:15 pm:
I will say the entity of mass transit I have interacted the most with over the past 20 years, Metra, had gotten into a pattern of blaming everything on funding and failing to at least act like they were taking ownership of anything.
PTC is an unfunded federal mandate… Dude, complaining about a system that reduces the risk of me getting killed is not the thing to complain about.
When a switch failure is with an Amtrak switch, all sorts of details are provided. When it is a BNSF switch, no details are provided.
No explanation if there are any consequences for the BNSF when they can run trains due to manpower issues.
I’d be a little more sympathetic tbh, if Metra at least made an attempt to act like any of their issues were caused by factors within their control.
That all being said, I think large federal subsidies for urban mass transit are going to be a challenge getting through the house.
- St. Nick - Wednesday, Dec 14, 22 @ 12:20 pm:
I can’t imagine two more unlikely scenarios than a split Congress being willing to write a check to bail out urban transit systems, and the General Assembly being willing to write a check to bail Chicago area transit systems.
Not enough people are riding to make that kind of investment in 2023. Not to say it isn’t safe ground to punt to Congress, because it is, but JB not embracing it as something we *have* to do is a tell.
- Topper - Wednesday, Dec 14, 22 @ 12:32 pm:
We should take advantage of this crisis, blow up transit in northern Illinois, and redo the whole thing. Having four separate agencies overseeing mass transit in a single urban area is among the most asinine things in all of Illinois governance. There should be one agency in charge — and with a weak Chicago mayor in place and close to one-party control of the suburbs and Springfield, now is the time to do it. That alone won’t solve all the problems, but it’s a good start.
- Rent free - Wednesday, Dec 14, 22 @ 12:34 pm:
Shut it down..the lack of ridership doesn’t merit more tax dollars. No business would operate that way.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 14, 22 @ 12:36 pm:
===No business===
Government is not a business. It provides services that nobody else provides. Go take a nap.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Dec 14, 22 @ 12:43 pm:
I am an employee of an agency and we have been spending at 100% capacity with 60% (on a good day) ridership. I guesd our great leadership thought it was going to last forever.
- Steve - Wednesday, Dec 14, 22 @ 1:00 pm:
This is a big problem. If you raise fares at this level : you might not bring in more revenue because you might get less riders. Remote office work might have destroyed the public transportation model.
- Commissar Gritty - Wednesday, Dec 14, 22 @ 1:04 pm:
Waiting for the Federal government to act quickly to help people is like waiting for rain in the desert. Sure, it happens occasionally, and it’s always big news when it does. That helps us forget that it only happens once every few years or so.
Put Kevin McCarthy in charge of the House, and it’ll be like waiting for rain on Tatooine.
- Victor - Wednesday, Dec 14, 22 @ 1:17 pm:
There needs to be service cuts too. Right now there are too many trains leaving OTC on the UPN during the morning hours. Reverse commute is only about 10% of Metra ridership to begin with and it’s asinine to run that many trains in the morning.
Plus the funding model is broken. This whole RTA+Metra+Pace+CTA governing structure makes no sense. It should be a single Metropolitan Transit Authority.
- Last Bull Moose - Wednesday, Dec 14, 22 @ 1:20 pm:
Barring extraordinary horsetrading, the Republican Congress is not voting funds for transit in urban areas controlled by Democrats.
Local transit benefits locals and should be funded by locals. Chicago and the metro region have the wealth to adequately fund the CTA and RTA. Not clear they have the will to do so.
- Montrose - Wednesday, Dec 14, 22 @ 2:00 pm:
It’s completely legit to try to get the ugliness that is SBF to stick to Chuy or Lightfoot, but I think it will be hard for to go too far with it given he gave everyone and their puppy money.
- Jerry - Wednesday, Dec 14, 22 @ 2:11 pm:
@victor
I agree that ridership is down. But so is driving. And all of the government bodies that run the roads. Time to start closing roads and ripping them up. The toll roads were supposed to be paid for eons ago and handed over to the state.
So what’s fair and equitable for everyone (transit riders and drivers?)
- Cool Papa Bell - Wednesday, Dec 14, 22 @ 2:15 pm:
Metra has a pending headache with a possible KCS-CP merger that could really screw up rail access and train schedules in the Chicago metro.
- Jerry - Wednesday, Dec 14, 22 @ 2:31 pm:
And the City Council just approved the TIF funding for the Red Line extension.
- Chicagonk - Wednesday, Dec 14, 22 @ 2:48 pm:
The federal money should definitely have strings attached to it (including cracking down on CTA crime).
- froganon - Wednesday, Dec 14, 22 @ 3:36 pm:
Every place I drive has construction with new, expanded thru and turn lanes. It is cheaper to move people with mass transit than it is to build roads. It’s time to fund mass transit at a comparable level with roads. It boggles the mind to see all kinds of new roads while existing roads, closer to established area look like pot hole allies.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Dec 14, 22 @ 3:41 pm:
@froganon, the use of roads for freight is high… objects that are needed from the supply chain and which increasingly seem to come on planes and not on trains. also, emergency vehicles need ease of movement. I’m all for road improvements and anything that helps move traffic along. @Topper, yep, blow up the structure for mass transit and consolidate and refigure. you are correct.
- Chicago Urbanist - Wednesday, Dec 14, 22 @ 5:19 pm:
The article says the Bears will pay for the stadium themselves but want state support for the mixed-use development. I haven’t seen anything from them that explains why they need state funding to support a type of development that commonly makes a lot of money without subsidies. Are they including substantial affordable housing in the project, or some other public benefit that justifies state money?
- Big Dipper - Wednesday, Dec 14, 22 @ 7:32 pm:
==There needs to be service cuts too==
If you cut service you lose even more riders, necessitating further service cuts. It’s a death spiral.