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At this point writing about the CTA's "Doomsday scenario" is like beating a dead horse. We know what's at stake if they don't get the funding before Sunday. Our inbox, and those of thousands of Chicago Card holders, are full of messages from Ron Huberman matter-of-factly stating such. All this means that our eyes are on Governor Blagojevich and state lawmakers heading down to Springfield last night to hammer out a possible last-minute solution to the crisis. Forgive us if we sound cynical on the matter, since the governor and House speaker Michael Madigan are still in a staring contest to see who is viewed as the savior of public transportation, and who gets the blame if the CTA's cuts are implemented.
Madigan told CBS 2 that his proposed bill, calling for an increase in gaming, will include a Chicago casino and a new riverboat downstate. Proceeds from the latter will be earmarked for road construction, which should placate downstate lawmakers miffed that they're being called on to bail out the RTA again. Madigan said that he feels confident the bill will pass, which indicates that he also thinks he has the necessary votes to override a Blagojevich veto. Depending on the results of a leaders' meeting scheduled today, it also sets up Madigan as the hero (if there can really be one) in this scenario, showing he's a master of the art of the deal while Blagojevich prefers to put his ego ahead of the citizens of his state.
Image via mklingo on flickr.
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All of you, take at least 5-10 minutes a day and make forceful, if not angry, calls to all the leaders you think of. Yes, you will get their staff members, and it sucks you have to yell at them, but that is their jobs. I actually had Tom Cross give me a personal call back the other night after bothering the shit out of his office for a week--sure, he didn't say anything but vague political bullshit, but you need to annoy these people and make them know the level of anger they will face, especially if they want to run for higher office one day, which, at least, Cross certainly wants to do.
Make those calls. And them make them again every day. This is our fucking home and lives, people. We are too "civilized" for pitchforks and muskets, so this is one of our weapons right now.
Gaming shouldn't be the answer, but it is a step in the right direction. That direction is away from service cuts, taxes, and fee-hikes. The only problem: how many casinos can this area support? And what lucky area will be coronated with this increase in crime that a casino will bring?
I'm just curious as to what other efforts the CTA has explored to increase their revenue other than ones that will decrease ridership. I'll ask them at Monday's meeting.
"...too "civilized" for pitchforks and muskets"
Not Chicagoist. Just this summer we had about 20 posts conerning only PITCHFORK!! Even after most of Chicagoist's readers complained, they kept on coming! Pitchfork after Pitchfork, first it was Pitchfork update 1, before you knew it we were at Pitchfork update 18.
Lets not forget that CTA mismanagment for the 20 or so years is the real reason behind this problem. yes its nice to blame politicans I myself love to do it but Daley handpicked managment team has driven the CTA into the ground on a dirty overcrowded unsafe poorly maintained green limousine.
See I'm tired of saying that Fed Up. Daley drove the green limousine into the ground and people are too stupid to see what's right infront of their faces, because Daley can do no wrong. And the Casino is just another expanding treasure chest for Daley and his cronies that will further damage poor folks
Right on brotha, it's all in the Daley-boo-boo of City Hall. They like, dang, throw it on a brotha. You want some catch-up with 'dat? Cause yall know when a brotha has ta catch up to the bus, he jus' gonna call in sick.
Same goes for them trust fund Blue Line Writers I mean riders 'a Chicagoists. I mean, yall know when the poop hits the stink they drivin' like a mothadoctor up on the next town.
I'm jus' sayin'.
Tell everyone that the CTA mess is David Wilshire's fault -- THEN you'll see muskets and pitchforks, real and virtual.
I don't think the CTA should be held hostage just to get a casino into the city. Madigan is as bad as blago.