* Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson held a quick press conference this morning before meeting with the three tops. He was asked several questions about mass transit governance and funding…
Reporter: It’s not on your public list of priorities but, you know, transit. The governance and structural effects and potential funding. Why wasn’t that on your list of priorities and do you have a specific ask, either on the governance model or on how we raise revenue?
Johnson: Well, because it’s on the priority list of the entire state of Illinois. There’s a specific list and then there are the things that we know we have to do, right? So my team, working with the CTA, has been very clear about the importance of ensuring the region that generates 87 percent of the ridership has to receive its fair share in funding. That’s not an unusual ask. That’s been the ongoing characterization of the people of Chicago in the region since Mayor Harold Washington, right? So that has been a part of a larger, broader conversation around a host of issues. But these [his Statehouse list of asks] are very specific, modest presentations that speak to some of the technical things that we can do to sharpen our ability to deliver quality services for the people of Chicago.
Reporter: President Preckwinkle has told me she does favor a consolidation of the [transit] agencies. Are you worried that what may come out of this that you know, kind of Chicago loses its influence over regional transit?
Mayor Johnson: Well, again, my responsibility as Chief Executive of Chicago is to advocate for the best interest of the people in Chicago. That’s what I’m doing. It’s no secret, again in the CTA region, we generate 87 percent of the ridership. So the economic vibrancy of our public transit system is centered in the city of Chicago. So the city of Chicago deserves its fair share, and we continue to advocate for that as I’ve already done.
Reporter: Along the same lines, what sort of funding models do you think would be helpful for state lawmakers, at least in the short term?
Yeah, that’s a great question. Look, I think that there are a number of elements that have been discussed throughout this entire process. I’m not going to act as if there’s one particular form of funding that works best. What my intentions are is to ensure that the voice of Chicago is speaking in unison. Again… 87 percent of the ridership and the revenue was generated from the city of Chicago. And so a funding mechanism that doesn’t hurt anyone, working people, and a funding mechanism that allows for those that have means are able to contribute more to the vibrancy of our city and our state.
Reporter: Just to follow up. On every point you mentioned that [87] percent. Does that mean the city of Chicago, the residents should be the majority group funding public transportation?
Johnson: I mean, that’s a conclusion that one can draw, right? You know, look, I believe in sharing. I’m a middle child. I’m accustomed to do it, and the people of Chicago deserve their fair share. That’s all.
My hat’s off to Ben Szalinski of Capitol News Illinois for that last follow-up.
…Adding… Hmm…
Reminder: 55% of existing transit funding in northeastern Illinois — including taxes and fares — comes from outside the city proper
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— Star:Line Chicago (@starlinechicago.bsky.social) April 30, 2025 at 11:03 AM
* Meanwhile, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle had this to say to Isabel today about consolidating the mass transit systems…
Well, the first thing I have to say is our priority in this legislative session is transportation legislation… We believe that we have to have an integrated, comprehensive, accountable system, and that’s not where we are at the moment. So we really need support, both for changes in governance, in our system, and more resources. And RTA has estimated that the shortfall on the revenue side will be about $770 million in the coming year. So we’ve got challenges. […]
We’re interested in a system that’s more streamlined.
Please pardon any transcription errors.
- Jazzy J - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 11:12 am:
President Preckwinkle says more in two sentences than the Mayor does in 20. You definitely get the sense that the Mayor is not interested or engaged at all on this issue.
- AlfondoGonz - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 11:20 am:
“There’s a specific list and then there are the things that we know we have to do, right?”
Right.
- Nerry - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 11:30 am:
Consolidation/streamlining all sound great. But the operation of Pace buses in the suburbs is different from CTA “L” trains in the city. Which is what the Mayor was attempting to address but not very well.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 11:32 am:
===the operation of Pace buses in the suburbs is different from CTA “L” trains in the city===
The problem is the fiefdoms don’t coordinate, which is what Preckwinkle and a kabillion others are talking about.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 11:37 am:
Also, she didn’t say consolidation, she said “integrated.” Make them work together.
- Henry Francis - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 11:38 am:
It really is exhausting reading the mayor’s responses to questions and trying to find any sort of substance.
He’s been in office for almost 2 years now, and he still can’t meaningfully engage with the media?
- StarLineChicago - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 11:39 am:
== the operation of Pace buses in the suburbs is different from CTA “L” trains in the city ==
While that is obviously true, it’s harder to argue that the operation of Pace buses in, say, Berwyn or Cicero is inherently different than the operation of CTA buses on the Far Northwest Side or Mount Greenwood.
- Just Me 2 - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 11:45 am:
It is worth noting the Mayor controls a majority of the CTA board, and his appointees have veto-authority for the RTA board.
One option for governance reform is to let the service providers to continue being controlled at the local level, but the “oversight” and “regional” board controlled at the state level so the Mayor no longer has that veto power which stops coordination.
- NIU Grad - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 11:47 am:
“So my team, working with the CTA, has been very clear about the importance of ensuring the region that generates 87 percent of the ridership has to receive its fair share in funding”
The thing is…they really haven’t been. Mayor Johnson has had a major transit blind spot since the time he was a candidate. He only seemingly is poking his head into this debate now (extremely too late) because he is realizing that he might be the first Mayor of Chicago to lose significant power/influence in the regional transit system. The message to legislators has been clear since he took office: If it doesn’t involve schools and teachers, the mayor doesn’t care.
With this and his comically bad appointments to transit boards…I think reforms are going to happen regardless of what the mayor thinks about them.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 11:51 am:
I’m curious if the 87% refers to the number of trips, miles traveled, or just the number of riders.
- Just Me 2 - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 11:56 am:
The Star Line’s 55% seems a bit misleading to me. If 55% of the revenue comes from outside the City of Chicago proper, then we should report how much is spent outside the City of Chicago proper.
Also worth noting the CTA has a larger service area than the City of Chicago proper.
Did I properly make my point?
- ChicagoBars - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 11:57 am:
Props to Starline Chicago for doing the math and research to prove my hunch that “The municipality that only pays for 55-60% of the regions public transit should be careful about highlighting they are 87% of the use of the region’s transit”
- StarLineChicago - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 12:16 pm:
=== If 55% of the revenue comes from outside the City of Chicago proper, then we should report how much is spent outside the City of Chicago proper. ===
Glad you asked for more details! The Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) estimated that in 2023, combining taxes and fares generated from the City of Chicago totaled 43.7% of all the transit revenues regionwide, which means 56.3% came from outside the city proper: https://metroplanning.org/taking-part-in-the-regions-transit-governance-conversation/
The CTA’s 2025 budget is nearly 20% larger ($2.16B) than Metra’s ($1.14B) and Pace’s ($0.62B) combined.
Using ‘L’ stations as a proxy, about 13% (19 out of 146) of the CTA’s service area is outside the city proper. However, that must also be compared with Metra’s coverage in the city (75 stations out of 243, or 31%), as well as Pace’s regional paratransit service — making up 45% of their budget — which serves the entirety of the city proper.
The specifics will depend on how you choose to crunch the numbers, but the City of Chicago is certainly receiving a majority of transit funding already.
However, the larger point is that it’s silly to break things down along city vs. suburban lines. Some suburbanites travel into the city on transit, and some Chicagoans travel out into the burbs on transit. Our regional transit network should be exactly that: a single, regional network. We all pay into it, and we all receive benefits from it. We do need to be sure we’re equitably providing service to the areas that need it the most, but those decisions should be coordinated at a regional level.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 12:19 pm:
It is hard to comprehend why, but clear that Mayor Lightfoot and President Preckwinkle would be able to collaborate better than MBJ and President Preckwinkle on this issue.
- NIU Grad - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 12:21 pm:
Can I just add: the 87% number isn’t the flex he thinks it is. Ridership from the suburbs to the city via Metra has plummeted due to unreliable service and fewer offices operating in the downtown. He should be striving to get suburbanites into his city for the tax revenue…something the city hasn’t pushed heavily for since the Rahm days. But that would require actually caring about economic development…
- This - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 12:21 pm:
No funding until consolidation and an end to all salaries over $125,00 - how about we start with these “north stars”
- Juice - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 12:28 pm:
Kind of amazing that the Cook County Board President has a priority for transit funding, and the mayor is focused on proration of mandated categoricals? Seems like pretty small potatoes from the State’s largest city.
- Just Me 2 - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 12:40 pm:
I thought more about that 55% number which seems high to me, and I’m wondering if it is just local taxes, or if it includes federal and state sources of income. If that is the case; it is obviously noteworthy the City of Chicago is obviously a part of the state and federal government.
Many bean counters also forget to county the City’s RETT money for transit too. It’s easy to overlook.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 12:44 pm:
===that only pays for 55-60% of the regions public transit===
You read it wrong. It’s 45 percent.
- Center Drift - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 1:05 pm:
Public Transportation in the RTA service area is a real government mess. I agree with consolidation but you cannot hand it over to the patronage Kings and Queens of the Cook County Democratic Party. Make it a trans-county entity with each county getting a board member. Wait, we have that and it still didn’t work. I don’t have an answer but it’s clear government control hasn’t worked.
- City Zen - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 1:16 pm:
==if it is just local taxes==
Worth noting that the CTA has a dedicated revenue stream from Chicago’s real estate transfer tax that Metra and Pace do not have.
- City Zen - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 1:27 pm:
Sorry, Just Me 2, I should have read your second paragraph.
- Anon E Moose - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 1:29 pm:
“I don’t have an answer”
You could’ve stopped after this
- Jerry - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 1:56 pm:
I agree with you Rich. For the most part when a Red line train pulls into a station at the same time as a Purple Line (i.e., Belmont) there is no problem. It should work the same way when a Pace Bus pulls into a Metra Station.
However if Toni is going to talk about integration she should back it up with specific ideas. Otherwise she is just pandering to no one.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Apr 30, 25 @ 1:59 pm:
===she should back it up with specific ideas===
The ideas are being discussed.
“I think it’s fair to say that we’re working most closely with Representative Delgado, who’s been charged by the Speaker of the House to be in support, to be the leader of the working group in the house on this matter. And she told us today that they’re, they’re in negotiation around the bill. So I’m going to take, let her take the lead on that”