* Tribune op-ed by Lester L. Barclay, who chairs the Chicago Transit Board: “Transit funding was secured, but the CTA paid a price”…
But as we celebrate this moment, we must be honest with the people of Chicago: This funding victory comes with a price for the city of Chicago and the CTA. And it’s fair to ask: What did we give up in exchange for this historic investment?
Alongside new funding, the bill introduces sweeping regional governance reform meant to improve coordination and accountability among agencies. The bill establishes the Northern Illinois Transit Authority, a 20-member board that will oversee the CTA, Metra and Pace.
Chicago’s mayor will appoint only five members. The rest will come from the governor, Cook County and the collar counties. Under this new structure, practically all policies and operational decisions that previously received final approval from the CTA will now be subject to the final authorization by the NITA board — an arrangement that, while designed to promote coordination, risks diluting the local accountability and autonomy that have been essential to delivering responsive, community-centered service. The CTA — and by extension, Chicago — now faces limits on how we can acquire property, procure goods and services for our daily operations, lead construction projects and manage programs that have long driven economic growth. Those changes may seem technical, but they have real implications for how we serve our riders.
For one of the nation’s largest and most complex transit systems, this could challenge our ability to operate efficiently and responsively. This bill marks the end of Chicago’s autonomy over its own transit system.
Hilarious.
“Local accountability” that delivered “responsive, community-centered service” while the CTA operated “efficiently and responsively”?
Right.
- StarLineChicago - Friday, Nov 21, 25 @ 2:12 pm:
The Mayor of Chicago currently appoints five seats to the RTA board.
The Mayor of Chicago will appoint five seats to the NITA board.
- Big Tent - Friday, Nov 21, 25 @ 2:17 pm:
Be careful what you ask for…
“Transformational” reform may have some drawbacks.
Time will tell.
- JB13 - Friday, Nov 21, 25 @ 2:39 pm:
Would really hate for the suburbs to screw up the amazing and world-renowned efficiency that is the CTA
- Casper the Ghost Bus - Friday, Nov 21, 25 @ 2:42 pm:
Lester, with all due respect, when you run something so badly for so long that state government decides it’s time to start over with something different, you should probably just bit your tongue, put your head down and go wait for the bus that may or may not ever show up to take you home.
- Ben Tre - Friday, Nov 21, 25 @ 3:04 pm:
@starline — 5 out of 9 at RTA; 5 out of 20 at NITA.
- StarLineChicago - Friday, Nov 21, 25 @ 3:07 pm:
== 5 out of 9 at RTA ==
The RTA has 16 board members: 5 appointed by the city, 5 appointed by Cook County, 5 appointed by the collars, and then the 15 board members select a 16th member to serve as chair.
NITA will have 5 appointed by the city, 5 appointed by Cook County, 5 appointed by the collars (hey, that sounds familiar!), and 5 appointed by the governor.
- TNR - Friday, Nov 21, 25 @ 3:29 pm:
The fact that mayoral control of the CTA disappeared without City Hall mounting any kind of a defense is kinda amazing.
- Excitable Boy - Friday, Nov 21, 25 @ 4:06 pm:
- probably just bit your tongue, put your head down and go wait for the bus that may or may not ever show up to take you home. -
No kidding. What on earth did he imagine this would accomplish besides inviting ridicule?
- Incandenza - Friday, Nov 21, 25 @ 4:19 pm:
At minimum, the CTA extends beyond the borders of the City of Chicago: even the rail lines extend into multiple municipalities beyond Chicago borders. Even the CTA shouldn’t only be subject to the city. There are more constituencies to consider that are served by CTA (Oak Park, Forest Park, Evanston, Skokie, Cicero)