* From a Bill Daley press release…

In the wake of a growing scandal at Metra and the apparent inability of the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) to effectively oversee public transit in the six-county area around Chicago, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill Daley called for sweeping changes of the public transit structure in Illinois, essentially eliminating the RTA as we know it and investing the savings to hold down fare increases and restore service cuts for Metra, Pace and CTA riders without raising a dime in new taxes.

“The RTA spends over $33 million per year and does not provide a single ride for anyone in Illinois. It has morphed into a bureaucratic Frankenstein that must be completely rethought, and in many ways, eliminated,” said Daley.

Daley offered four principles that he will use to reorganize transit policy:

Eliminate redundant operations by getting rid of RTA operations already performed by other government agencies and invest as much as $33 million in savings to hold down fares and restore service cuts

Retain RTA’s strong bond rating by keeping its tax and bonding functions independent so the State of Illinois’ bad credit rating downgraded multiple times under Governor Quinn does not raise borrowing costs for public transit

Make Metra board more accountable to the Governor

Create a single fare card for all three service agencies and increase ease of integration for riders

Daley questioned the need for the existence of the RTA as currently structured. “The RTA claims to be the agency that makes Metra, Pace and CTA all work together, yet we still don’t have a single fare card you can use on all three systems. They spend $33 million per year and no one can tell me what they actually accomplish,” said Daley.

While Metra, Pace and CTA have all had to cut staff, reduce service or raise fares, RTA payroll has grown steadily.

* Suburban Republican reaction was expectedly suspicious…

But state Sen. Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale, who is seeking the Republican nomination, says the solution to what ails Metra is not to abolish the RTA but to strengthen its powers over both Metra and the CTA. With Democrats completely running Springfield and now perhaps moving in on the RTA, “I hope this is not a plot to grab more money for the CTA (from the suburbs) while Metra is in chaos,” Mr. Dillard said in a phone interview. […]

Abolishing the RTA has won the support of some civic groups, such as Metropolis Strategies. But others have pointed out that eliminating the RTA has been a long-time wish for the CTA and Chicago City Hall.

Mr. Dillard clearly alluded to the latter in his interview.

“The RTA, while imperfect, still somewhat guarantees the funding equity between the CTA and the suburbs,” he said. If its oversight of Metra has been inadequate, the solution is to give it “more power for the RTA, CTA and Pace, and not only in spending but hiring . . . The CTA clearly needs oversight.”

Thoughts?

*** UPDATE *** RTA ]RTA Chairman John Gates appears to side with Dillard via press release…

We hope that the Clifford matter can be the catalyst for something the RTA has long supported: greater authority to provide more extensive oversight of the service boards (CTA, Metra and Pace) and the authority to enforce compliance with RTA oversight.

I hope to have the support of all elected officials from the six county region, especially those who have appointing authority to the RTA board, in our efforts to remedy those statutory deficiencies so that we can ensure the Northeastern Illinois region area has an efficient, well-managed and world-class transit system.