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Today’s must-read

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• Illinois

* Please click here and read it all. You’ll learn some things. I definitely did…

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Oct 15, 24 @ 8:32 am

Comments

1. “We all may be victims of our own success,” Metra CEO Jim Derwinski said in July. “We do operate the leanest system in the country. We keep making it happen when we don’t have the right resources.”
   This is laughable. There are layers upon layers of management atMetra. 900 non-union employees, 125 (14%) earning >$100K, 31 earning > $180K. This top loaded management allowed the total fiasco of the $7M purcase of tge Wickes warehouse that needed a new roof that doubled the price.
   Public transit is a must but don’t let the CEO talking in platitudes convince Springfield to give them a blank check. Reform is needed at Metra.

   Comment by James the Intolerant Tuesday, Oct 15, 24 @ 9:27 am

2. Raise taxes. Increase fares. Fire everyone in the current management.

   It’s not that service can’t be better. It was much better 10 or even 5 years ago. Instead of extending train lines they should make the current lines run better.

   Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Tuesday, Oct 15, 24 @ 10:13 am

3. =The proposed MMA legislation outlines a board with three directors chosen by the governor; five of the mayor of Chicago’s choosing; five picked by the president of the Cook County Board; one each chosen by the chief executives of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties; and one chosen by the directors.=

   Giving super majority control to Chicago/Cook County - where politics will dictate body seats is a recipe for disaster - probably unavoidable - good luck.

   Comment by Donnie Elgin Tuesday, Oct 15, 24 @ 10:29 am

4. I’m with Bob. Clean house before you ask for money. These agencies have been fully funded by Federal relief since mid-pandemic. No way are they suddenly going to prioritize service magically if they get new subsidies from Statehouse.

   Comment by ChicagoBars Tuesday, Oct 15, 24 @ 11:24 am

5. ==Giving super majority control to Chicago/Cook County==

   A majority of the stations are in Cook County. Every line terminates in the city on one end.

   Comment by supplied_demand Tuesday, Oct 15, 24 @ 11:40 am

6. I thought it was interesting that President Preckwinkle seemed supportive of the MMA legislation. The Chicagoland region needs integrated transit planning because the different municipalities and counties are so interconnected. It is about what is best for everyone, not defanging any particular agency.

   Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Tuesday, Oct 15, 24 @ 11:49 am

7. **Giving super majority control to Chicago/Cook County - where politics will dictate body seats is a recipe for disaster - probably unavoidable - good luck.**

   LOL at the implication that politics wouldn’t dictate seats outside of Cook County.

   Comment by JoeMaddon Tuesday, Oct 15, 24 @ 12:20 pm

8. I’m fine with keeping the service board model, but the board appointments for CTA/Metra/Pace need to be separate from the oversight agency. With the current structure the RTA works for the agencies they’re supposed to supervise. Makes no sense.

   Comment by Just Me 2 Tuesday, Oct 15, 24 @ 2:10 pm

9. I just want to ride the train and the bus around the west suburbs. I’ve wanted to since I moved out here in 1997. The only noticeable change is that I can now go to Elburn on Metra. I don’t want to go to Elburn - make no mistake, it’s a lovely town - I want to go to Schaumburg. Or Joliet. Or anywhere that’s not on a straight line from one distant exurb to Chicago and back again.

   Coordinate buses and trains. Run the trains and buses on time. Run extra trains later on weekends so we can get home if we are downtown late.

   Extra trains for special events. Buses - lots of them - from the town centers to malls, sporting events, entertainment venues. And then tell us about them.

   I appreciate those leaders who speak of real reform and are willing to spend the political capital to make real change. But they all blew it letting CN take over the EJ&E - an existing right of way that can get from Waukegan to West Chicago to Joliet. They’ll continue to blow it unless real reform - I don’t care if it’s one agency or 20 - is forced upon them all. They’re not going to do it themselves.

   Comment by Lefty Lefty Tuesday, Oct 15, 24 @ 4:55 pm

10. Note that suburban leaders complain that suburbs will lose transit service under a unified governance structure and that Kate Lowe complains that urban residents will lose service. This is a case where it must be a good compromise if nobody is happy. Pass the MMA!

    Comment by Ben Tre Tuesday, Oct 15, 24 @ 4:55 pm

11. There is a lot that can be blamed on the Rauner Administration

    Comment by Craig H Tuesday, Oct 15, 24 @ 5:06 pm

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